007: Eye of the Serpent
by AJB
Summary: James Bond 007 is assigned to track down a missing CIA agent with information on biological-weapons smuggling, dragging him into a devlish plot by a deformed billionaire philanthropist to control the leaders of the world...
1. Prologue Hawaii

_**007: Eye of the Serpent**_

**HONOLULU,**

**HAWAII.**

**The dark of night has fallen over the calm, warm streets at the heart of the tropical city, a haven for tourists, surfers and worshippers of the sun. The same streets are decked with multi-coloured, decorative lights left over from the carnival, which give the impression the city itself never sleeps. Indeed, a mass of revellers from all over Hawaii and the rest of the world are frequenting the dozens of bars and restaurants at the centre of the city, dancing and listening to melodious tropical music that echoes out for all to hear.**

**At the right of the main street, busy with people sitting on tables outside just off the pavement, a late-night tropical café lies. In the corner sits Reginald Balfour, a nervous-looking, well-dressed man of British heritage. He holds a coffee which he drinks sparingly, radiating trepidation and nervousness, possibly with very good reason. A camera is pointed at him from a distance by an unknown hand, zooming in on him slowly. **

**Balfour routinely checks his watch, clearly waiting for someone to arrive. He looks around him at all angles, partly looking for this person, but partly through paranoia. He senses he's being watched. On the table directly next to him, a man sits reading a broadsheet English newspaper, The Times, which obscures his face from view. The paper also obscures a mobile phone the man is holding, a phone he's using to control the camera placed across the street, which feeds images of Balfour to the phone screen.**

**The camera follows Balfour as, acting on his fear of being spied on, he leaves money for the coffee and gets up from the table, heading away from the café over the Honolulu street. The mobile screen captures a good image of Balfour entering a vacant telephone kiosk next to a bustling bar, the man holding the phone observing him dial a number hurriedly. The newspaper man puts on a pair of dark glasses which he connects to a hole in the phone using a wire, instantly creating an electronic link.**

**The lens of the glasses subsequently display a classified MI6 file on Balfour, which gives a detailed biography of the man's statistics and history, plus shows him to be a diplomat from the British Embassy of Romania, based in Bucharest. The newspaper keeps one eye on the phone screen, seeing Balfour connect the call he's been waiting to make, which the newspaper man taps into and listens as he gets up from the table and departs.**

**In the kiosk, Balfour hears a gruff British voice with a slight Arab lilt respond. "Yes?"**

**"It's Balfour. I'm calling off the meet." He announces, while he looks around him with growing paranoia.**

**"Explain."**

**"We cannot make the trade," Balfour declares. "I suspect I'm being watched…"**

**"By Bond?…"**

**While listening to the unfolding conversation, the newspaper man passes a series of bushes over the street from the kiosk, discreetly grabbing and pocketing the camera hidden inside as he passes.**

**"No. I would recognise him." Balfour assured his contact.**

**"Good," replied the voice. "Make sure you are not being followed and have the submarine at the iceberg by daybreak. We will make the trade then."**

**"You have the microchip?…" asked Balfour, worriedly.**

**"Yes. Daybreak." The voice said sternly, before hanging up the call. At that exact moment, Balfour jumps as someone taps the kiosk. He turns and quickly, keeping his head down, he exits the kiosk and heads off into the Honolulu streets, vanishing amidst the bustling crowds.**

**The kiosk tapper watches him vanish. It's the newspaper man, who removes his dark glasses and is revealed to be an average-looking man in his forties, who you'd pass without even giving a glance. The man steps inside the kiosk as he puts the gadget mobile in his pocket.**

**32FT BELOW SEA LEVEL,**

**OFF THE HAWAIIAN COAST.**

**The slowly rising break of day allows the emerging sun to illuminate the depths of the calm, blue, idyllic ocean, filled with tropical oceanic wild and plantlife, plus a large British submarine that churns it's way through the deep water at quite a fast speed.**

**The H.M.S. Norfolk makes towards a gigantic cropping of icy rock that protrudes deep into the warm water, an immense-looking structure seemingly at odds with the clement enviroment. The rock is connected to a massive iceberg lying off the beach-filled coasts of southern Hawaii, a gigantic construction preserved through deep freeze tanks for the hot weather, holding on it's exterior an Xtreme snowboarding sports track.**

**The snowy stage track leads down to an arena for fans who have journeyed onto the iceberg in order to watch the race, huge television screens elevated above used to display the contest.**

**Far above the fake iceberg, becoming larger as it approaches nearer, a biplane appears in the clear blue sky, on the horizon of the sun, making it's way towards the tropical island.**

**MI6 BIPLANE,**

**25,000FT ABOVE THE ATLANTIC OCEAN.**

**A large cargo deck has been converted into an intelligence briefing room, replete with viewscreens and holographic-display tables. One of the viewscreens now shows the iceberg the plane rapidly approaches in all it's glory, a viewscreen under the remote control of the man standing before it, earnest senior MI6 agent Bill Tanner, an ageing beacon of knowledge.**

**Tanner addresses the newspaper man, who stands now before him decked out in a black jumpsuit, who stands quietly and carefully watches the iceberg on the screen as he listens intently.**

**"A mobile structure, touring the world over the last several months under the guise of a sports contest," announces Tanner, referring to the iceberg. "An xtreme snowboarding race will be held this morning. We suspect the iceberg is a front for a major smuggling operation being ran by Marlin Vibert…"**

**Tanner presses a switch on the holo-display table before him, producing a holographic image of Marlin Vibert before both men. He is a tall, muscular man in his forties, balding slightly with glasses, who could be described as an odd mix of boxer and bookworm.**

**"A businessman, Algerian-born, and a suspected terrorist involved in biological-weapons trading." declared Tanner. "We know Reginald Balfour is about to arrive on the iceberg via the H.M.S. Norfolk, but we need to know what connection one of our own has to Vibert. It's up to you from here on in."**

**Clearly understanding, the newspaper man nods and places a black latex ballaclava over his head as the rear doors of the biplane begin to open, a gust of wind instantly flying in.**

**"Good luck, James." Tanner said, holding onto a table due to the wind blast as he watches the newspaper man strap on a parachute quickly and fling himself out the back of the biplane, flying off into the air.**

**OFF THE HAWAIIAN COAST.**

**The biplane turns away into the distance as the fearless newspaper man flies like a bullet through the clear blue sky. The ocean, equally as clear blue, begins approaching rapidly several thousand feet below, halted somewhat as the parachute billows off the man's back, slowing his descent as he gets his balance and glides vertically down towards the sea.**

**The water below is now starting to curl and chop slightly, making it perfect conditions for the more expert surfer. This fact is obviously detected by the newspaper man as he cuts the parachute at exactly the same time he cuts a surfboard attached to his back. The parachute floats up into the air as the board plunges with the man toward the ocean below. He lands on the board just seconds after it hits the sea, instantly gaining his balance and riding the surf toward the looming iceberg.**

**The newspaper man approaches the construction like fast moving shadow as he rides the elegant waves. He notices, outside the eastern edge of the iceberg, the H.M.S. Norfolk rise to periscope depth and peer out of the water as a huge bay door on the iceberg side begins rising open. The submarine proceeds to glide in through the door carefully as the newspaper man adjusts his direction to rapidly make for the door.**

**As the submarine enters the bay and the huge door starts closing, the man bears down on the board and flies over water, sliding horizontally under the door as it seals closed tight.**

**The man is soon greeted by the sight of an enormous, hollow iceberg interor, a gigantic base containing numerous jettys stacked with numerous cargo vessels, jettys leading to electronic storage facilities dotted around and lifts leading to the fake snowy surface. He sees special deep freeze tanks filled with ice on the walls placed to prevent the iceberg itself naturally melting under the tropical climate it is docked under.**

**He observes the H.M.S. Norfolk finish docking at the nearest jetty, it's cargo doors opening to allow Balfour to emerge onto the jetty. As he steps off, a lift appears at the far end of the same jetty and opens, depositing Marlin Vibert, an imposing figure surrounded by armed guards who cower with fear before him. He reaches Balfour, the two men engaging in conversation, watched by the newspaper man via powerful binoculars at a distance. He remains bobbing in the water, none of the patrolling guards noticing his presence.**

**"Thick as thieves…" he says as he removes the ballaclava at the same time he removes the latex mask he was wearing disguising him as an average man, when infact he is James Bond - codename 007. **

**His dashing, handsome looks betray him of being a man of the world with great intelligence, a face watching both Balfour & Vibert talking, as the British Naval crewmen under Balfour's command begin to remove cargo boxes from the submarine. Bond observes Vibert begin to open up one of the crates he sees is marked 'botanical supplies', a label that Bond photographs using a mini-camera built into the binoculars.**

**He observes Vibert remove from the crate several metallic canisters that appear to store biological materials. Bond notices a smile of great pleasure cross Vibert's face as he puts the canisters back carefully. He turns to a guard, clicking his fingers, the man stepping toward with a small box he gives to Vibert. He opens it up, showing Balfour the contents. A microchip. Seeing it, a satisfied Balfour nods and the box is closed.**

**Bond watches Balfour retreat into the submarine and Vibert shouts orders at his men, demanding they help bring out his bio-cargo from the sub. Putting the binoculars away, Bond puts away the binoculars and swims over to the jetty, climbing discreetly and strapping the surfboard on his back as he skulks behind the cargo crates while approaching the sub. He knows what he has to do. He has to get inside.**

**When no one is looking, he seizes his chance and runs into the cargo bay.**

**The expansive submarine cargo area was starting to look barren since most of the crates it was stocked with had been unloaded onto the jetty. A crewman is stacking the remaining crates reading for transport. As he puts one of the crates down, he sees a figure approach and turns.**

**"Lovely morning." Bond quips, as he knocks the crewman out with a simple right hook before he can alert his comrades. 007 quickly tosses the crewman off the jetty nearby into the water, just seconds before two other crewmen enter and, mumbling between themselves oblivious, pick up new crates and head back on out to the jetty before them.**

**Neither see Bond, steadying himself between two bay walls on the ceiling. As they go, he jumps down and heads through a hatch leading to the main sections of the Norfolk.**

**Making his way down the corridors inside, and occassionally hiding behind bulkheads as crewmen rush past on their duties, Bond makes for his target. He lingers behind a bulkhead as he soon witnesses Balfour climb down from the bridge through a hatch.**

**"I want us out of here as soon as we can. See to it!…" Balfour snaps to the bridge above as he closes the hatch.**

**007 proceeds to tail Balfour like a shadow as he heads off down the corridor, soon arriving at his quarters, where a huge guard crewman stands protecting the room behind. Bond notices the huge specimen nod to Balfour as the diplomat heads inside and seals the door, the secret agent realising getting past the man-mountain will take all his brawn.**

**The slightly cramped quarters, but filled with more amenities than the average crewman would get, are entered by Balfour. He heads over to a bedside table and places the microchip box on it, taking a look inside at the prize before hearing a muffled thud coming from outside after sounds of a scuffle. Balfour, concerned, looks at the door when silence follows.**

**"Crewman?…" he ventured, getting no response. Balfour carefully approaches the door.**

**Suddenly, it opens. Bond stands over the unconscious form of the guard crewman, instantly entering and shoving a Walther PPK into Balfour's face with one hand and closing the door with the other. Shocked, Balfour recoils from the weapon 007 keeps trained on him.**

**"Hello, Reginald. What's a man like you doing in a place like this?…" Bond asked, wryly.**

**"James Bond," said Balfour, trying to sound unimpressed. "You've surprised me. I knew you were good, but I never thought you'd find me here."**

**"I know your weakness, Balfour. Over-confidence. The Foreign Ministry have been onto your bio-weapons smuggling sideline for quite some time."**

**"So have you, it seems. Yet here I am!…" Balfour said, smugly.**

**Bond nods. "With your new friend Marlin Vibert and a nice little microchip. Where is it?…"**

**Balfour laughs, trying to mask the fear of the gun in his face. "You'll have to do better than that, Bond. You are a spy, after all. Or, should I say, were a spy. You'll never get out of here alive."**

**"Then, that makes two of us." said Bond, at which point he fires a bullet straight into Balfour's head, killing him instantly.**

**007 sees the small box on the bedside table and checks to see if the microchip is inside. Seeing it is, he pockets the box and heads away. Seconds later, several crewmen bearing rifles run into the room having heard the gunshot and see the diplomat dead on the floor, a lifeless husk.**

**"Quick!. Sound the alarm!…" one shouted as the men run out and an intruder alarm loudy sounds around the Norfolk.**

**Hiding behind a bulkhead as armed crewmen run around as the alarm sounds, Bond begins making his way towards the cargo bay area. Just before he is to enter, 007 sees a large guard contingent from the iceberg running in, blocking off his exit route. From behind, he sees crewmen running toward the cargo bay. At the side of the corridor, Bond sees a line of emergency escape hatches, one of which he quickly begins opening.**

**Like a bullet fired from a gun, Bond shoots out of the emergency escape hatch into the freezing cold water of the iceberg. He soon finds the propellor drift starting to suck him in dangerously, he quickly swimming to avoid the drift and it's perilous effects. Bond escapes the drift by hard swimming upwards and makes for the nearest jetty.**

**On the main jetty, the intruder alarm is heard sounding by Vibert, who reacts by commanding his men to search for said intruder. He observes the submarine cargo bay doors closing and the propellors moving, the H.M.S. Norfolk slowly starting to leave it's port.**

**Vibert begins to suspect something is not right. "Stop that sub!…" he growls with supreme brevity, heading for the area of the jetty containing the submarine, a flood of guards following him. This allows 007 to emerge near the jetty opposite by the bio-weapons crates, unnoticed.**

**Bond sees the commotion as he removes his mobile phone and magnetically attaches it to the wood of the jetty, pressing a button. A green button flicks on with a beep as Bond climbs onto the jetty, moving away from the crates, whistling loudly out.**

**A number of guards hear, turn and soon surround Bond, which leads Vibert to notice just as the submarine was to stop. He waves it on as he heads toward Bond, the H.M.S. Norfolk starting to sail out of the iceberg through the huge bay doors.**

**Vibert walks through his circle of guards surrounding Bond and faces the spy.**

**"007. Your presence honours me…" Vibert said, with a heavy trace of sarcasm.**

**"I don't believe we've met before, Mr. Vibert." Bond replied, keeping his senses ready to react.**

**"And we'll never meet again," said Vibert, with relish. "We should savour this moment."**

**"I'd rather savour your death." said Bond.**

**Vibert lends a slimy grin. "The only death that will be savoured on this day, Mr. Bond, is yours."**

**He steps aside and nods towards the surrounding guards. They line up their rifles to fire at the secret agent, who proceeds to quickly pull out his dark glasses, press a button on them and fling them aside. Vibert watches as the glasses spin towards the water, beeping as a green button flickers on them. A beep changes the green button on the mobile phone to red, the mobile promptly becoming a detonator which explodes.**

**The blast explodes the jetty, flinging the guards aside and Vibert into the water, Bond instantly running off down the jetty. He runs to escape the continuing explosive blast churning the jetty up, racing towards the two lifts lying at the end of the jetty. Angrily, Vibert swims through the water towards a jet ski machine positioned nearby, which he roars into action once aboard. Explosions spread to the vessels parked on the jetty, spreading like wildfire, blowing guards and bio-weapons crates to oblivion.**

**007 rapidly approaches the lift as Vibert speeds at the side of the fireball churning up the jetty, trying to intercept the agent. Quickly, Bond dives into the left lift, sealing it up and activating it, just as Vibert jumps off the jet ski into the right lift.**

**Both lifts are made of glass, allowing a view to the iceberg below as they rise quickly. Explosions are spreading all over.**

**Bond soon sees Vibert's lift level with his own and sees the man pull out two machine guns which he fires, shattering his glass and Bond's, allowing bullets to fire into each lift. Dodging the machine gunfire, 007 draws out his own gun and fires back, the rapid lift ascent causing both men to not fire accurately. Vibert tosses one gun aside as he runs out of ammo, firing with the second gun. Bond fires at him as best he can, a bullet hitting the machine gun. It goes flying off to Vibert's anger, the man then getting balance, running and flinging himself over into Bond's lift with a roar.**

**As he lands, Bond goes to shoot him, but Vibert kicks the gun aside, it falling off the lift. Vibert lands 007 with a hard punch. A raw fistfight breaks out, Vibert's height and strength giving him the advantage. Just as the lift slows upon reaching the top of the iceberg, Vibert punches Bond hard near the edge. 007 loses his balance and falls over the edge of the lift, plunging down towards the raging explosions and fire growing below.**

**Vibert looks over and grins, using his radio to call for reinforcements as the lift slowly ascends out of the iceberg core. Meanwhile, Bond is freefalling at great speed, until he reaches behind and presses a button on the board strapped to his back. Two mini-jet thrusters emerge at it's top, activating. Thruster power steadies 007 in mid air, the board becoming a jet pack that allows him to ascend upwards at quick speed towards Vibert's original lift, only just about to arrive at the top level of the construction.**

**The explosions continue raging, fire spreading to the special ice machines keeping the iceberg frozen. They start exploding.**

**On the exterior of the iceberg, the sun beams down on the complex snowy boarding track stretching the length of the iceberg, the Hawaiian beach coast visibly distant.**

**At the track's end, TV screens show the course above the huge spectators arena where fans are now crowding in for the early morning race. An American commentator introduces the cocky Xtreme sports racers now lining up at the summit, emerging from a special hut at the top, a wooden Alpine lodge well-recreated for the event, designed for the racers to gather before they head off on their sport.**

**One final boarder psyches himself up as he prepares for his entrance, not noticing the lift arrive and deliver Bond. The two lifts lie where the fireplace would normally be, the first one empty which Bond notices as he quietly exits, drawing the board off his back. **

**The boarder turns around as 007 approaches him with a smile, too late to prevent the secret agent swinging his board and knocking him out.**

**"I think you get the drift." He quips, with a smile.**

**Moments later, Bond exits the hut now wearing the boarder's race costume and bearing his board, just as the commentator introduces him, getting a huge round of applause from the arena. He takes up his position alongside the five other Xtreme boarders on the starting line, throwing down his gadget board into the snow underneath. **

**007 stands on it, his feet sinking into it and locking as he removes a small palm device giving him access to the gadgets within. **

**As he waits for the race to begin, behind him with a pack of his guards, Vibert is hearing no reports of Bond's dead body on the radio. He begins to feel the snow below him becoming softer in the sun, kneeling and feeling it turning to water, melting. Looking up, he sees 007 on the track give a cheeky salute as a siren begins the race, Bond and the racers flying off down the iceberg.**

**"It's Bond!…" Vibert exclaims. "Get after him!…" **

**The ski-wearing guards all quickly do as ordered, racing off down the iceberg track in pursuit, as Vibert barks orders into his radio. A moment later, three large helicopter gunships appear near Vibert over the summit ridge, ready to pick him up.**

**Further down the track, the racers are pushing and shoving as they attempt to stretch out in front, 007 trying to avoid them. Explosions from within the iceberg are blowing out parts of the track like landmines, several of the racers falling prey to these blasts. The ice machines within are now all destroyed, causing the sun to start melting the iceberg, chunks of track turning to water, swallowing up racers as they speed down on their boards.**

**Bond swerves and jumps to avoid these blasts and sudden collapsed snow holes, just succeeding to get in front of the dwindling racers.**

**In the arena below, stands begin collapsing as the snow under them melts, the fanatic crowds realising and screaming as they flee.**

**On the track, 007 keeps focused without distractions, until he begins to see the pursuing guards pushing the racers aside and gaining. They fire machine guns wrapped around their necks at Bond, who swerves to dodge them, performing twisting moves to do so. Several of the guards are blown up by the explosions while others are swallowed by water, Bond fighting off others, knocking them out. Just as he gets clear of them, 007 sees the three helicopter gunships approaching over the collapsing track, dropping armed guards on skis, who rapidly start to pursue him ruthlessly.**

**On the middle gunship is Vibert, holding a huge gatling gun which he fires at the track, the bullets raging all around Bond. The guards are fought off by Bond and dispatched by machine guns that fire from the rear of his snowboard with pinpoint accuracy. Bigger chunks of track all around 007 start turning to water, huge masses of liquid crashing onto the fiery jetty inside the iceberg.**

**A tunnel midway down the track then comes into focus, Bond bearing down on it.**

**"Blow that tunnel!…" exclaims Vibert into his radio. **

**Vibert's gunship pulls back as the two flanking ones swerve in and open their missile turrets, preparing to blow the tunnel to bits. Seeing what's about to happen, 007 quickly jumps onto his back and points the snowboard up, firing two pitons from it which fly out. The pitons attach onto the front of the two gunships as Bond enters the tunnel, dragging the two helicopters in with him before they can fire their payload. Vibert's gunship flies in behind them voluntarily.**

**Aiming his board at the two gunships, Bond fires a small missile from the rear of it, which impacts the helicopters, blowing them up. The fireball erupts the entire tunnel and swallows up Vibert's gunship as the villain goes to jump off, blowing it to bits. Flying out of the tunnel, 007 detaches the pitons and flips around, gaining his balance and boarding off down the track. He sees the arena approaching in the distance several thousand metres away, jumping as a large drop in the track appears. **

**Bond lands near the mouth of a secondary tunnel from the main one, out of which boards a survived Vibert, reaching 007 and grappling with him. A massive explosion erupts behind from the gunships, triggering an avalanche of water from the melting iceberg which careers down the track. Bond and Vibert grapple as they fly down the track, seeing the collapsing iceberg gaining behind them. Both soon see pipe struts for expert snowboarders connecting the track to the arena, the finishing stunt, below which is the sea.**

**The two men board onto separate pipes, still within grappling reach. Bond and Vibert exchange punches while trying to maintain balance. The collapsing iceberg behind starts swallowing up the pipe as the arena rapidly comes closer, gaining on both 007 and Vibert. Getting free of the grappling, Bond pushes Vibert and boards away on the pipe. Vibert roars as the avalanche of water swallows him and the pipe up.**

**007 jumps onto the finish line stretch of track in the deserted arena, now collapsing like the remainder of the huge iceberg behind him. Bearing down, the track sinks all around him and so Bond activates the jet pack on his board, now horizontal acting as a rocket booster. He flies over the collapsing snow and towards a ramp at the far end, dashing onto it, flinging him literally over the top of the arena. **

**He flies through the air as the iceberg loudly crashes into the sea, landing on the ocean behind, which he rides off toward the beautiful Hawaiian coastal beach in the near distance, filled with amazed people, young and old, watching the huge iceberg explosively collapse off the coast.**

**All see 007 glide from the ocean onto the beach, the rocket booster powering down as the board glides over the sand. The board glides to a halt at a beach bar where Bond gains his composure, observing a gorgeous Hawaiian bikini girl nearby. She looks at him with a swooning look and a smile, Bond eyeing her up as a barman approaches him.**

**"Yes, sir?…" enquires the barman, as to his choice of drink.**

**"Vodka Martini," Bond replies, one eye on the girl. "Shaken, not stirred." **

**The barman nods, fixing the drink as Bond sees the bikini girl start to approach him.**

**"And for the lady?…" he asks.**

**"How about sex on the beach?…" she replies.**

**Bond can't help but raise an eyebrow at the thought. "Now there is an idea…" **

**The barman returns with both the vodka martini and the cocktail. Bond exudes a wry smile as he and the bikini girl toast their drinks……**

__

**__**


	2. Chapter One Barcelona, Spain

_**007: Eye of the Serpent**_

**BARCELONA,**

**SPAIN.**

**ONE WEEK LATER.**

**A starry sky casts darkness over a warm night that pervades the streets of the city, alive with traditional merriment. A carnival mardi gras is taking place, with a parade of floats burning effigys and singing old folk songs passing through the streets. The traffic is crawling around the city, a sleek little grey BMW travelling slowly amidst the everyday cars, a beacon of wealth.**

**James Bond 007 drives the car in a smart casual suit, one arm out the window, enjoying the Spanish ceremony as the parade goes past with a troupe of sexy female dancers. The BMW then turns off down a small side alley off the main road, between two old buildings, now closed for the evening.**

**The car reaches a dead end wall and stops. Bond shines the fog lights onto the wall, highlighting camoflaged ID sensors, which detect the BMW and turn from red to green with a beep. The wall then silently slides into the ground, revealing a secluded MI6 mansion house behind it, replete with drive and well-tended gardens.**

**Bond drives the BMW up the drive, the wall sliding back up once he enters.**

**-**

**The interior of the mansion contains a beautiful foyer decorated with exquisite Spanish paintings and tapestries, filled with expensive objects from the local culture. James enters expecting a welcoming audience, looking up the empty spiral staircase, to the closed door on the right and the open one on the left. He fears no one is in residence.**

**From the left door, however, Bond soon hears the tapping of a keyboard, a reassuring sound to his ears.**

**The room to the left is an antique games room converted into a secretarial office, blending the old billiards tables and dartboards with mod-coms, an office that holds faithful secretary Moneypenny to the delight of Bond, who, though he'd never admit it to anyone, loved the sparring repartee with a woman he knew would one day make a man very much unlike him a wonderful wife.**

**The attractive, late-thirties woman sits at her desk, ever busy. She is facing behind her, sorting files near a cabinet, not seeing a single red rose slide onto her desk by a male hand.**

**Moneypenny does hear it slide and smiles, knowing who is behind her. She turns to see James, as expected, standing before her.**

**"Buenos Tardes, Moneypenny." says Bond, with a charming smile that Moneypenny can't help but warm towards.**

**She smiles back, trying to keep from blushing. "For me, James?…"**

**"Who else?…" Bond remarkes, as he observes Moneypenny trying to hide her delight at the gift. She picks up the rose and smells it.**

**"To what do I owe such a gesture?…" she asks, flirtatiously, trying to tease a similar remark out the man before her.**

**Bond begins perching himself on her desk, noticing Moneypenny doing her best not to flush at their proximity, as he leans in toward her. "Oh, I just saw it, and immediately thought of you. Fresh, radiant, ready to be-"**

**"-plucked?…" finished Moneypenny, not flinching as James moves his face right up close to hers, wondering at the thought. It's then he notices her look behind him, flush with embarrassment, and return to her work.**

**Bond turns around and is faced with a familiar figure at the door at the far end of the office.**

**"I see all that ice hasn't frozen your charm, 007." quipped M, the harsh but fair head of the 00 section of MI6, a tough, ageing woman who lends both her employees a slightly disapproving look.**

**"Some things never change, M." replied Bond, himself trying to hide a touch of embarrassment.**

**M nodded. "Indeed. Shall we?…" she said as she motions back towards her office adjoining her secretaries. Bond soon follows, leaving the flushed Moneypenny clutching her red rose. **

**A converted antique lounge is the basis for M's official domain in the mansion, a lounge filled with classic furnishing alongside a futuristic desk near the fireplace, below a painting.**

**M heads to her desk and automatically begins pouring them both a drink as 007 closes the door.**

**Bond surveys the surroundings. "Nice office. I had no idea MI6 had such good taste."**

**"They don't," M replied as Bond sits at the desk as she places the bourbon short in front of him, sitting opposite. "If they did, we wouldn't have all this technology taking away the beauty of the place."**

**"Eye of the beholder, M." replied Bond, observing his boss look unsure at the validity of the remark as she sips her drink. "So, why have I been summoned?…"**

**M keeps him waiting a moment as she finishes her bourbon and then proceeds to tap several buttons on her desk keyboard, which lead the painting above her desk to give way to a viewscreen which displays the ID file on a beautiful female agent, which James observes keenly.**

**"48 hours ago," M began. "We intercepted a distress signal sent out by Zoe Nightingale, an agent of the CIA. She has subsequently disappeared, we believe somewhere here in Barcelona."**

**"What interest do we have in a CIA agent?…" Bond asked, sipping his bourbon gently, not really being a fan of the stuff.**

**"Apart from the fact our American friends expect us to be interested, Nightingale was investigation Botanicon, a Spanish-based botanical research firm headed by the late Marlin Vibert." M reported.**

**The interest of Bond was here further piqued. "My friend from Hawaii. Go on."**

**M continued. "Based on what you found in Hawaii, our long-time suspicions that Botanicon is a front for bio-weapons smuggling have now been confirmed. It seems Ms. Nightingale vanished after retrieving a package from the Botanicon research facility in Madrid, that would unequivocally prove this…"**

**"And?…" ventured Bond, noticing M has momentarily stopped short of continuing.**

**"And explain why Vibert stole a CIA data file on her that formed the basis of the microchip you retrieved in Hawaii, the one he was trading Reginald Balfour." said M, who saw the cogs ticking over in 007's mind.**

**"I'm more interested in why Balfour would have wanted her file," admitted Bond. "Who was pulling his strings…"**

**"Perhaps we can find the answers to all these questions if we find the package" M offered.**

**Bond nodded. "Which first means finding Nightingale."**

**"I doubt you'll have any trouble tracking her down, 007," said M, with the barest hint of a smile. "She is a woman, after all."**

**Bond examined the ID file of the CIA agent on the screen before him as he finishes his drink, and faces his boss.**

**"It'll be a pleasure."**

**BARCELONA,**

**THE NEXT MORNING.**

**The morning sun shines bright and warm on the classic old streets of the city, back to normal after the carnival of the previous evening. The BMW drives through the streets with Bond at the wheel, he enjoying the atmosphere of the area, still buzzing with carnival fever.**

**He turns into a street filled with bars and clubs, parking the BMW outside an underground-based club, the Casaba. Bond steps out of the car and secures it with central locking, heading over to the club where two burly bouncers stand. He gives them a cheeky smile as he enters, the bouncers viewing his car with enthusiastic interest.**

**The Casaba is a gentleman's club that tries to be classy, hiding beneath it a dingy parlour of 24-hour lap dancing and seediness. Dressed extremely well, 007 doesn't look a bit out of place as he enters, eyeing up the near-naked table dancers as he arrives.**

**He reaches the bar where a barman stands ready to serve. "Yes, sir?…"**

**007 looked around the club environs as he spoke. "Tell Mauritzio that James Bond is here to see him."**

**"Of course." replied the barman. "And sir will have to drink?…"**

**"Vodka, on the rocks." Bond said, still checking out the club, looking for potential sudden exits in case things happened to turn ugly, a situation the agent had faced many a time before. He sees the barman click his fingers at a younger subordinate, who starts pouring the ordered drink.**

**Bond takes the drink as the barman leads him through a nearby private door, into a rather luxurious manager's office.**

**At a gargantuan desk is Mauritzio, an ageing Italian crafty rogue, who fondles a Spanish dancer sitting on his lap, while bouncers surround him. Mauritzio shows clear surprise at his visitor, pleasure coupled with caution. "Secret agent James Bond, my God!…"**

**"How's business, Mauritzio?…" Bond enquired. "Still keeping the Mafia at bay, I see." He moved further into the office, at which point Mauritzio waved away his suspicious bouncers and pats the bum of the dancer as she leaves the office with the bouncers.**

**Mauritzio smiles at his guests' remark. "After this long in exile, I should think they don't care whether I live or die. And with friends like you, they'd never dare touch me."**

**"It's friends like me, Mauritzio, that forced you into exile." Bond reminded him, gently. **

**"I may miss Italy, but I live well, is all that matters. Have a seat." invited Mauritzio,**

**007 taking up the offer, sitting opposite the useful contact, the two sharing a cigarette.**

**"So, what can I do for England's finest?…" asked Mauritzio, the tip of the cigarette pursed in his mouth as he speaks. "You come for woman, I can get you many."**

**Bond smiled at the offer. "Just one will do for today. One in particular, a CIA agent, name of Zoe Nightingale." He slides a picture of her in front of Mauritzio, who's eyes widen.**

**"Very nice, Mr Bond, I see your standards haven't dropped." Mauritzio laughed. "Business or…pleasure."**

**"Business, for now." Bond admitted. "Can you track her down for me?."**

**"The usual expenses apply, even to such good friends as us." Mauritzio equally admitted. Drawing on his cigarette, Bond nods, Mauritzio handing him back the picture.**

**"She has been using my courier service for the last few days steadily, getting CIA money and documentation. I suspect she's gone underground." said Mauritzio, intriguing 007.**

**"Safe deposit box?…" asked Bond, Mauritzio nodding.**

**"For the location, the price goes up." he said. "I do have a living to make, after all."**

**Bond smiled with a nod, taking a drag of his smoke. "Name your price."**

**Mauritzio laughs, showing nothing but warmth to Bond, even still with slight caution.**

**Later, as Bond exits the club, the bouncers eye him with suspicion as he heads over to the BMW, unlocking it and jumping inside. Two sinister-looking Spaniards, Ager and Marcos, watch the BMW drive off from a car nearby. They start their vehicle and pursue.**

**-**

**In an upmarket part of the city, an old building, which used to be a somewhat gothic bank, has been converted into a gymnasium for the wealthy. Bond pulls up in the car park area outside and exits his BMW, heading into the building while making sure he's not been followed. He fails to notice Ager and Marcos pull up in their car across the road. **

**007 enters through the main entrance, observing the gym areas filled with advanced fitness machines, nearby a locker room area. He enters the room filled with dozens of lockers in multiple lines. He begins searching for one in particular, the CIA locker. Bond gets funny looks from several gym users nearby, he smiling to placate them.**

**Eventually, he finds the locker he was looking for, number 47. He withdraws a credit card concealing a lockpick, prizing open the door. Inside, Bond finds several wads of pesetas, plus passports to different parts of the world, all unused. He finds this strange.**

**-**

**A taxi pulls up on the bustling street, the rear passenger door opening, a pair of sexy legs inside a smart skirt revealed. Zoe Nightingale, a beautiful, petite woman in her late-twenties, with a perfect figure, matching brains, brawn and a touch of feminine elegance, emerges.**

**Zoe pays the taxi driver and checks she's not being watched, before entering the gym. Across the road, Ager and Marcos see her and withdraw guns which they click ready for use, stepping out of their car.**

**-**

**The locker is searched fully by Bond, who finds no pertinent documents. He looks down the locker corridor, seeing the reflection of Zoe approaching from the entrance in a mirror directly across. Bond quickly begins closing the locker as Zoe steps down the corridor, he having vanished by the time she reaches her locker, key ready.**

**Zoe stops as she sees the lock picked, going on alert and looking around. She turns to look back down the corridor, where Ager and Marcos appear. Before she can draw her gun, Zoe is fired at by Ager and Marcos, who run down the locker corridor towards her, Zoe diving to the side.**

**She lands at the feet of Bond, hiding behind the locker, now clicking his gun ready. He smiles at a quite perplexed Zoe. "Ms. Nightingale, isn't it?…" he asked.**

**Afraid for her life, Zoe stands frozen as Ager appears, cracked over the head by Bond with the gun he holds. As Ager falls to the ground, 007 jumps out in front of Marcos, shooting him twice in the chest, before grabbing Zoe, pulling her with him as he runs down the corridor.**

**"Come on!." he shouted, Zoe taking the hint not to fight him on this.**

**Ager rises, helping up Marcos as he exposes a bulletproof vest that cushioned the bullets, the two thugs running after them.**

**Bond and Zoe dash out of the locker area into the main part of the gym, avoiding a hail of bulletfire from Ager and Marcos. The bullets smash the gym mirrors and force the customers to hit the floor screaming, or flee for their lives any way they can.**

**As Zoe begins firing back at them with her weapon, 007 starts toppling the gym machinery as Ager and Marcos begin gaining on them. The chase extends over the full gym area, bullets being exchanged between both parties, until they reach the far end of the gym.**

**Bond starts fistfighting Ager with difficulty, while Zoe uses her high-kicking skills to batter Marcos, she getting the upper hand. Zoe kicks him to the floor and raises eyebrows at an impressed 007.**

**"Hmmm. Not bad for a girl." He quips. **

**In a blur motion, Ager pushes Bond aside, runs at Zoe and dives, the two crashing through a window that adjoins the first floor gym roof, a spray of sharp glass flying in all directions as the window explodes outward, Ager and Zoe flying through, rolling quickly down the roof tiling towards a hard drop.**

**Responding fast, Bond jumps through the window and slides down the roof, his feet landing on the drain pipe Zoe is clutching onto. "Help me, I'm slipping!…" she cried.**

**Steadying his feet on the drain pipe, Bond pulls Zoe up fast, both seeing Ager dazed having landed in the alleyway below.**

**"Who the hell are you!…" Zoe asks while catching her breath back. 007 goes to respond but sees Marcos coming at them out the window, gun ready.**

**"Later." he simply replies. Bond then grabs Zoe and both jump onto the roof of the next building, dodging the bulletfire coming from Marcos gun as he pursues. They begin leaping from roof to roof as they escape Marcos, pursuing and blazing his gun, determined to hit them.**

**Pulling out his keys, Bond activates the BMW and it automatically starts up and begins following the signal from the keys. Ager runs out of the alleyway to his own car and gives chase to the BMW. The BMW speeds down the street, avoiding oncoming traffic as it keeps up with Bond and Zoe's running, they coming to the last roof.**

**Although Zoe goes to stop, 007 keeps running and forces them both to jump dangerously off the roof, freefalling to the ground. The BMW skids to a sudden halt below them, the roof retracting, allowing them to literally drop into the car, the roof sliding back. Ager's pursuing car fails to stop in time and ploughs into the back of the BMW, exploding on impact in a huge blast.**

**From the roof above, Marcos watches this with anger as the BMW speeds off, without a scratch.**

**-**

**The gorgeous interior leather design adds to the sleekness of the car, now being driven at fast pace by Bond. In the passenger seat, Zoe watches the fiery exploding car from behind and turns to face her rescuer, somewhat startled at the events that have just taken place.**

**"How the hell are we still alive?…" she asked, not entirely rhetorically.**

**Bond himself wondered. "I ask myself the same question every day. And to answer your question, the name's Bond…James Bond."**

**Zoe nods at hearing the name, Bond pleased he's found who he's been looking for.**

**-**

**A traditional flamengo barn lies at the heart of a beautiful plaza where the culmination of the several day carnival is coming to a head, the warm darkness now falling over the city.**

**Bond and Zoe are sharing a drink at the bar, watching expert flamengo dancers do their stuff in the plaza, egged on by a crowd.**

**"So, you work for the British secret service," Zoe said. "I take it they got my distress signal. Too bad the CIA didn't."**

**"The money and documentation in your locker was CIA issue." Bond reminded her as he sipped his martini.**

**Zoe nodded. "It's for any underground agents with the correct access code. There is no way the CIA would know for sure it was me using the locker."**

**"You may have used the locker, but you didn't take what was inside…" said Bond, a hint of suspicion in his voice concerning her motives, which Zoe instantly recognises.**

**Bond continued. "Strange that passports and money would go unused by a spy trying to get out of the country."**

**"Who said I was?…" replied Zoe, at which point Bond's suspicion turned to curiosity. Zoe senses this too, and laughs at it. "I get the feeling you have more questions than answers."**

**"We know about the package you stole from Botanicon. It's why you've gone underground, " said Bond, fishing for confirmation. "What was in it?…"**

**Zoe is instantly coy with information, doing her best to avoid Bond's fixed look on her, waiting for answers that never come.**

**"Whatever it is, Botanicon are willing to risk exposure and kill you for it." Bond reminded her. "If you won't tell me voluntarily, there are techniques to make you talk." he added, with a flirtatious undertone.**

**Zoe smiled as she held her mochito at her lips. "I'm not that easy to break."**

**"I'm a man who likes a challenge." Bond replied, detecting as does Zoe a sexual subtext in both their words which has actually brought them physically closer to each other, both moving in as if to kiss. Zoe, though, looks over at the dancers in the plaza finishing their moves to rapturous applause.**

**"Care to put your money where your mouth is?…" enquired Zoe, smiling as James raises an eyebrow of curiosity when Zoe nods towards the dancers. Nodding his understanding, Bond polishes off his drink and heads over to the DJ controlling the flamengo music from inside the bar, now ending. Zoe sees Bond briefly exchange words with the DJ, who then starts up the music as 007 returns and beckons to the plaza.**

**"Would madam like to dance?…" he asked. With a smile, Zoe takes Bond's offered hand and they enter the plaza.**

**The crowds stop dispersing as the flamengo music starts up again, all watching Bond and Zoe take their marks at the core of the plaza. The two begin flamengo dancing as well as, if not better than, the actual flamengo dancers, twirling and gliding over the plaza.**

**Bond and Zoe enjoy the dancing, as do the enthusiastic crowds around them. Even the professional dancers at the side clap, impressed. **

**Someone takes photos of the dancers from across the plaza as they flamengo, a person unseen.**

**The flamengo dance ends with Zoe held in Bond's arms, huge applause ranging across the plaza. The two dancers gaze into each other's eyes.**

**Zoe grinned, clearly enamoured of the man before her. "You're a man of many talents, Mr Bond…"**

**Bond nods, holding Zoe close, looking at her lustfully. "But, remember, this is business." she added.**

**"Let's put pleasure before business, shall we?…" Bond said, Zoe not repelling Bond as he leans in and kisses her. The two remain still while the crowd in the plaza all begin dancing to new music.**

**-**

**A cool breeze drifts through the window into the warm hotel bedroom where champagne, glasses and clothes lie strewn around, the warmer evening having now begun turning into an even warmer night.**

**Bond and Zoe are making passionate love in her beautiful four-poster bed. The two roll around, kissing and fondling one another.**

**The sex grows more intense, steaming up the room.**

**-**

**An attractive old balcony looks out onto the plaza below where the party is still going on inside the bar and outside. Barely dressed, Bond emerges from the bedroom and begins taking the warm night air, watching the merriment going on below.**

**Scantily clad in a bedsheet wrapped around her, Zoe emerges onto the balcony and proceeds to passionately kiss Bond. She holds him as he keeps looking out.**

**"What are you thinking, James?…" she enquired, sensing the concern he is radiating.**

**Bond replied. "I'm thinking that we were attacked earlier because someone out there, knows we are here. Someone's one step ahead of us."**

**Zoe says nothing as Bond turns to face her seriously. "I need to know what was in that package, why it is you're risking your life by staying here."**

**At first she is reluctant, but Zoe sees Bond's thirst for knowledge, that he really does need to know. And not just because of his government's orders, but because of her. Because it's now become personal. "Let me show you something…" she said, heading back into the bedroom, 007 following her after one last concerned look into the plaza.**

**His intuition seems to be correct. Down in the plaza, someone wearing slinky black silk gloves is taking photographs of both, a shadowy, possibly female figure who then slinks away.**

**-**

**From under the grande four-poster bed, Zoe removes a golden briefcase marked 'Botanicon', which she places on the bed. Bond observes it with interest, reaching to open it up.**

**"I took this from Identicon's building in Madrid after an infiltration mission, looking for proof of biological weapons smuggling." announced Zoe, as 007 opens up the case and finds four vials secured inside.**

**"Genetic DNA materials, corresponding to England, France, China and the USA,**

**the four major global industrial powers." Zoe said, as Bond viewed the vials with curiosity.**

**"The DNA of whom?…" asked Bond, to which Zoe began shaking her head.**

**She said. "I'm hoping I can find that out by getting the matching case I failed to**

**retrieve from Botanicon before I was forced to go underground. That's why I**

**haven't left, I need that case."**

**Bond began to nod, now understanding her actions. Zoe is relieved she's got someone to share her burden with.**

**"I was afraid of this, James." she admitted. "I think Botanicon were experimenting with illegal human cloning."**

**Bond nodded his agreement, based on the evidence. "We need that second case."**

**"It won't be easy." Zoe warned. "They're watching us now, they'll be expecting us."**

**"Then, let's not disappoint them." Bond replied, smiling at Zoe, who returns the gesture but isn't as confident as he is at success. That they'll get out of this one with their lives.**

**-**

**Inside a car parked near the BMW in the plaza, Marcos is in the driving seat listening to the conversation through a bugging device. Next to him is the slinky figure, her hand rubbing the gearstick suggestively as she listens to the two lovers talk.**

**The mysterious, possibly female figure sits dressed all in black, a sexy mask covering her features. It's clear, however, she's interested in the good guys, but in a very dark way. She is known as 'The Jacqual'……**


	3. Chapter Two Madrid, Spain

_**007: Eye of the Serpent**_

**MADRID,**

**SPAIN.**

**The hot sun has broken through the new morning, casts down on the sprawling highway passing through rocky Spanish inland areas, down which the BMW cruises with the sun beaming down on it. The sleek car is driven by a well-groomed James Bond, who looks assured with Zoe Nightingale at his side, looking very sexy, as they drive on.**

**BOTANICON RESEARCH FACILITY,**

**MADRID.**

**A series of futuristic laboratories and corridors make up the core of the Botanicon research facility building, labs involved in botanical bio-engineering. The largest lab is entered by Jacqual, with her henchman Marcos in tow. At the heart of the lab is a large horizontal bio-tank where Marlin Vibert lies very much alive, worked on by a female doctor.**

**The doctor is named Nadia Damescu, a sexy young woman in her twenties with jet black hair and good figure, beauty disguised behind scientists clothing. She is working consoles that are engineering bio-implants onto Vibert's injured body, a repair job almost fully completed.**

**Nadia keeps quiet as Vibert looks delighted to see Jacqual approach the tank and throw down developed photos of 007 and Zoe. "Ah, Jacqual, you bring me proof of your new sport"**

**Jacqual says nothing and merely watches as Vibert looks at the photos from his tank, grinning and murmuring at what he sees. "And they're on their way?…" he asked.**

**In response, Jacqual nods and Vibert's grin widens even further.**

**"Then let's make sure they get a warm welcome."**

**-**

**The beautiful old capital city is driven through by the BMW, rapidly heading through the residential areas to industrial ones. The vehicle soon arrives outside the twelve-storey Botanicon building, huge metallic gates barring the inside, patrolled by security.**

**From inside the car, Bond and Zoe observe the heavy armed security contingent.**

**"Last time I infiltrated this place I had fake ID from the CIA." Zoe admitted worriedly. "No such aides this time."**

**Bond nodded. "There has to be another way in."**

**"Like where?…" asked Zoe, sceptically. It was then she saw a radical idea form in Bond's mind.**

**"What about right through the front door?…" he said as he hit the pedal, lining the BMW up directly parallel to the metallic gates, and switching on his special fog lights. The lights appear visible even in daylight, a beam scanning the gates for an electronic keypad, finding one on each side. The fog lights cut past the password and Bond switches them off as the gates begin automatically electronically opening.**

**As Zoe looks on impressed, Bond begins to step out the car.**

**"James, where are you going?…" she asked, confused. **

**"To see if I can't get their attention," Bond replied. "Try finding a way in, go!…"**

**Zoe watches as 007 begins to make a dash through the gates into the patrolled forecourt. She sees security guards starting to swarm on him and spot the BMW, running towards it. Zoe jumps in the drivers seat.**

**A large forecourt filled with cameras and security, massive protection, is penetrated by Bond as he runs for the main entrance doors. He turns to see guards coming at him both sides and watches the BMW skid around and drive off at speed down the road. **

**He continues his dash to the entrance as the guards stop and fire a hail of machine-gun bullets, which he outruns.**

**-**

**The tank holding the bio-enhanced Vibert begins rising onto a vertical axis, giving the man sight of a viewscreen on the wall.**

**Nadia stands watching at the side behind Jacqual and Marcos, the sight of Bond running to the entrance visible on the screen.**

**Vibert smiles as lasers begin scanning his entire body in the tank as he watches.**

**-**

**The BMW speeds around a corner along the roads of the industrial estate filled with technology building such as Identicon. The car screeches to a halt in front of an adjoining skyscraper.**

**Out the window, Zoe sees half a dozen armed guards running down the road towards the car. Worried, she begins looking around the vehicle.**

**"Where does he keep those gadgets?…"**

**Zoe presses a button under the knob of the gearstick, overturning the glove compartment cover to reveal a gadget panel.**

**"A-ha!. Showtime!…"**

**-**

**The hail of bullets continue to fly around 007 as he closes in on the entrance.**

**The front doors then kick open and a dozen guards pour out, one holding a bazooka-rifle he aims directly at Bond. Seeing it, Bond quickly stops and looks up, observing an abandoned window cleaning machine lodged halfway up the building.**

**Pointing his watch up at the machine, Bond presses a button on it and out flies a piton which attaches quickly to the machine. The guard fires a bazooka missile which hits the ground under Bond the second after he reels the piton in, flying up off the ground. The explosion roars under him, just missing him. Bond is levered up to the cleaning machine, which he grabs, climbing up onto.**

**He looks down to where part of the ground now smokes and a melee of guards lie.**

**"You can always rely on a window cleaner." he quipped.**

**Perched on the machine, 007 examines the window in front of him, seeing it is black-tinted and seeing inside is impossible. He withdraws a pair of shades which he puts on, able to see through tinted glass. Bond finds behind the glass is a huge ventilation chamber with fans and two dozen armed guards dotted around. He uses the glasses to zoom in through the chamber, seeing an entrance to the main labs at the far end of it.**

**As he looks close, the revived figure of Vibert steps into the doorway, able to see him. At that moment, Bond is jolted as a helicopter flies down from the roof above and hovers behind him, transmitting Vibert's voice loudly.**

**"Welcome to my world, 007," boomed Vibert. "I'm so glad you could see it before you die."**

**Bond then sees twin guns extend from the helicopter, aiming straight at him. He slowly raises his hands in the air, caught. He then looks behind the helicopter to the building opposite, raising an eyebrow at seeing the BMW driving up the side. The car drives it's way onto the opposite roof and Zoe spins it around at the far end, clearly giving herself a run up.**

**"Clever girl." he admitted to himself.**

**Bond dives for cover on the machine as the BMW speeds across the roof and flings off the edge at incredible speed. It literally flies through the helicopter, which explodes as the BMW passes through, it's armour plating churned up by the blast.**

**The fiery remains of the helicopter crash down into the forecourt on the guards.**

**The BMW sails over the window cleaning machine and crashes through the Identicon windows, landing on the building floor.**

**The huge chamber is filled with guards, some of whom are run over or sliced by the glass as the BMW crashes in and lands.**

**Bond jumps through the window as the guards fire bullets at him and the BMW, as he arrives and opens the door to a thrilled Zoe.**

**"Wow!. This is one cool car!…" she said, excitedly.**

**"Well, the fun's over." replied Bond. "Go and get the vial case. I'll give you cover."**

**Zoe nods and jumps out of the car as Bond jumps in, closing all the doors. He presses a gadget button on the glove compartment.**

**Vibert barks orders at his guards through the see-through door to his lab where he stands watching as Zoe heads away from the car.**

**The BMW suddenly begins rising as a base emerges from under it, allowing the car to rotate. Machine guns extend from the headlights. The car is now one big gatling gun, it's bullets churning up guards from all sides as Bond rotates the car with the steering wheel.**

**The BMW fires bullets into the fans, which explode and rock the building, killing more guards along with the ones being churned up.**

**-**

**Holding her gun ready for action, Zoe moves quickly through the futuristic corridors interconnecting the different labs.**

**The shadowy Jacqual trails her silently.**

**-**

**The BMW finishes off the last of the guards, Bond presses the gadget button retracting the gatling gun base, wheels touching the floor.**

**He observes Vibert standing at the far door and hits the gas, the BMW speeding through the chamber towards the door.**

**Vibert doesn't flinch as Bond fires a missile from the headlights which flies into the door, blowing it and the nearby wall out.**

**As the BMW speeds it's way inside, Vibert is flung off his feet by the explosive blast up against the far wall of his core lab.**

**-**

**A small lab room specifically designed to hold the two vial cases in a chilled storage chamber, is entered cautiously by Zoe from the corridor, on alert for any armed security. **

**She slowly starts to approach the vial case, which she finds easily exposed before her.**

**-**

**The lab has been virtually destroyed by the explosive blast, the BMW now at the centre, surrounded by blasted wall.**

**Bond gets out of the car with gun ready and sees the viewscreen snowy but intact, showing the vial case room as Zoe enters.**

**He turns to where Vibert is slumped up the wall, slowly starting to rise, uninjured. Bond fixes his weapon on the man.**

**"How the hell are you still alive?…" he asked, seeing Vibert smile at the question.**

**"Bio-grafted skin implants" Vibert boasted. "Works wonders for life expectancy. Your friend may soon need such treatment."**

**Vibert nods towards the viewscreen and Bond turns to see Jacqual appearing behind Zoe in the vial case room as she approaches the case. Suddenly, Zoe realises and turns as Jacqual kicks her with a roundhouse. A fight breaks out between the two women, a brutal one.**

**007 watches it as he holds his gun on a grinning Vibert, not moving. He sees Zoe kick Jacqual down, who then pulls out a device she presses before fleeing the vial case room.**

**Bond begins to connect the dots and sees the real second vial case in the same room as he, which Vibert is now observing.**

**"Zoe, no!…" he shouted desperately, futiley.**

**The moment Zoe is seen to open the fake vial case, the viewscreen turns snowy and a huge explosion kills her, blowing out the vial case room. The explosion blows through the far wall of the lab, rocking the building. Bond loses his gun and dashes for the real vial case.**

**Upon grabbing it, he stops as Jacqual appears behind him, putting a knife to his throat. 007 stops and drops the case before him.**

**Marcos enters and picks up the case as Vibert heads to the BMW and opens the boot, finding the other vial case, which he hands to Marcos.**

**Amidst this, Bond sees an exposed vial marked 'Balfour' lying on a nearby table, his hand discreetly pocketing it with no one noticing. Vibert then walks over to Bond with an unbearable grin.**

**He said, smugly. "I'm sorry our reunion was so brief, Mr Bond, but I'm a busy man. I hope you don't enjoy your death."**

**"Don't worry, I'll soon enjoy yours." Bond retorted.**

**With a disbelieving laugh, Vibert heads out of the room with Marcos following with the cases.**

**Jacqual pushes Bond into the BMW and rips out the seatbelts, tying him to the driver's seat so he cannot escape. She creepily touches his face with her silky hand before pressing the button counting down the car's self destruct mechanism. Jacqual then flees.**

**-**

**Near the fiery forecourt, a car waits in which Nadia is already sitting miserably.**

**She sees Vibert join her in the back as Jacqual sits in the front passenger seat, Marcos putting the vial cases in the boot before driving the car away with great haste.**

**-**

**The interior of the VMW is preserved, although the exterior is badly beaten up. Bond is tied firmly into the driver's seat. He sees the self-destruct timer counting down it's last 10 seconds on the radio. Bond sees the roof blown away and sees a way out.**

**Wrenching free his feet, Bond uses them to press a gadget button that blows the front wheel suspension, tipping the car up. He kicks the button which ejects the drivers seat, flinging him through the roof horizontally with the car tipped up. He flies like a bullet through the lab and ventilation chamber as the BMW explodes, triggering a cascading blast billowing out a fireball.**

**The fireball bursts out of the destroyed windows engulfing the window cleaning machine seconds after Bond flies out. The parachute in the ejector seat opens and Bond manages to shake off the seat, guiding himself to land on the building roof opposite.**

**He detaches the parachute, straightens his tie and walks off.**

**LOSANA HOTEL,**

**MADRID**

**An attractive hotel bedroom that held eye-pleasing paintings and wallpaper, dim lamps lighting the pleasant interior. Bond sat relaxed at a desk table using a laptop which has connected him via satellite to M, in her office at MI6 headquarters back in London.**

**"I've informed our American friends about Ms. Nightingale's untimely demise, they were less than pleased." M admitted over the clear-cut satellite link allowing her and 007 to converse.**

**"Did you tell them Vibert's alive?…" enquired Bond, now sipping a glass of liquor while winding down.**

**"I thought it best not to deliver two pieces of bad news at once," M declared. "The CIA do like to make a drama out of things."**

**"Maybe with good reason," admitted Bond, solemnly. "Zoe suspected Botanicon were involved in human cloning. That's what the vials were for."**

**M nodded. "The vial you sent us earlier, the one marked 'Balfour', would perhaps back up her theory."**

**"Let me guess. It's DNA was an exact genetic replica of that of the man I killed in Hawaii. Or thought I killed." said Bond.**

**"It may mean Balfour is still out there, if the man you killed was a duplicate." M announced.**

**Bond nods and finishes his drink, in rather a sombre mood after the sudden demise of the woman he'd shared a bed with just one night earlier. "He's the least of our worries. We need to know why Botanicon would be cloning people, or why the vials are marked with the eight major powers of the world."**

**"There may be a way to find out, 007," M declared. "Are you familiar with Malprade Industries?."**

**Bond begins pouring himself another straight vodka as he considers the question.**

**"A bio-engineering conglomerate, Suisse-based with international connections. I ****believe Botanicon is a subsidiary of the firm."**

**M nodded at the correct given facts. "It's owner, Maximillian Malprade, has a large stake in Botanicon. We don't know much about him, he's a recluse. He's hosting a charity gala ball at his summer mansion in San Martin in a few days time. If he is involved, the vial cases we need may be there."**

**"And so should I be." Bond declared, a determination rising within him.**

**"It's already been arranged." M announced. "And if you do track down Marlin Vibert, remember, keep your mind off Zoe Nightingale, and on the job."**

**Bond nodded with a wry smile. "In my mind, M, I'm always on the job."**

**"Precisely." replied M, 007 unable to resist a grin at the subtext as he sips his drink……**


	4. Chapter Three San Martin, Spain

_**007: Eye of the Serpent**_

**SAN MARTIN COUNTRYSIDE,**

**SPAIN.**

**THREE DAYS LATER.**

**The sun slowly begins setting over the beautiful Spanish inland countryside, roads weaved in between fields, wine valleys and mountains. Above the roads, an MI6 helicopter is flying across the San Martin area, a tuxedo-clad James Bond seen sitting inside.**

**He observes the helicopter fly over a ridge, giving way to the huge Malprade estate, acres of fields flanking a palatial 18th century mansion. The helicopter flies in towards the grounds of the estate, where a large champagne party is being prepared in the gardens. **

**The craft lands on grass near a huge driveway filled with the cars of guests, Bond stepping out as two distinctive figures approach in Fai and Kai, a pair of gorgeous Japanese twin sisters wearing similar glistening skin-tight leather outfits approach, only different hair colour distinguishing both.**

**Bond sees the helicopter take off as head away as the sisters arrive.**

**"Mr Somerset?…" asked Fai, the use of his alias doing nothing to throw Bond, who nods with a smile. "I am Fai, this is Kai. We are Mr Malprade's personal bodyguards."**

**"I'm sure you are." Bond replied wryly, his mind already considering certain fat-from-saintly possibilities regarding the twins.**

**"Allow us to show you to your room…" Kai said, heading off with Fai as Bond followed them across the gardens towards the mansion, an utterly magnificent home preserved in all it's 300 year old glory, with priceless tapestries and paintings hanging all over.**

**Wealthy guests in ball attire are walking around at their leisure as Bond follows Kai and Fai up the spiral stairs to the guest bedrooms, his room being marvellous guest lodging with wonderful furniture and a great view out the back of the mansion to the acres of gardens.**

**Bond enters and is followed by Kai and Fai, who observe him taking a look around.**

**"We hope the room is to your liking, Mr Somerset." Kai declared, fishing for a response from the guest.**

**Bond soon offered it. "It's wonderful, thank you." he replied, Fai nodding pleased with a smile.**

**"Good," she said. "The ball begins in thirty minutes. Until then, please enjoy the ****view."**

**The two sisters motion to the window before heading out of the room, their skin-tight costumes being eyed by Bond lasciviously. "I already am." he muttered to himself as they exited.**

**Once Kai and Fai are gone, Bond moves over to the window out the back and takes out a pair of hi-tech binoculars, looking out. He scans the garden party being prepared below before he rests on a private domed arboretum a little way across the grounds.**

**He sees Kai and Fai emerge from the mansion and enter the domed area, inputing a password to open a futuristic door disguised as an old one. Twisting the binocular lenses, Bond is able to penetrate the walls of the domed area, zooming his vision into a grande office.**

**He sees Kai and Fai enter and talk to a shadowed figure sitting at a desk, wearing an elegant green snakeskin glove. Curious, 007 puts his binoculars away and proceeds to check his watch. He knew it was time to get ready to meet the man who may be his enemy.**

**-**

**The core of the Malprade mansion held a vast grande hall, giant chandeliers hovering over stone columned ballroom walls. A projector device hovers over a stage area at the far end.**

**Dressed immaculately, Bond emerges down the spiral staircase and finds wealthy guests flouncing around in 18th century ballgowns. Waiters carry champagne around, Bond taking one as he fingers a gargantuan buffet and passes tables where women in ballgowns eye him up. He sees doors open to the garden party in huge marquis tents taking place outside in the warm night, a sunset clear on the picturesque horizon.**

**007 then notices a woman standing near the edge of the stage alone, looking unhappy. It's the attractive scientist Nadia Damescu, dressed beautifully, which doesn't escape the secret agent. Grabbing another glass of champagne, Bond heads over to where Nadia stands.**

**"Hello." he said, charmingly. "Enjoying the party?…"**

**Nadia observed him, obviously attracted, but coldly kept it at bay.**

**"It's only just started." She replied, with frostiness. Ever eager for a challenge, Bond just continued to smile, extending the glass of champagne he held towards the woman.**

**"You seem like you've been here a while. Glass of champagne?…" he offered.**

**Nadia didn't seem impressed. "I already have one."**

**Bond nodded, smiling. "Have another, there's plenty going around. By the way, my ****name's James."**

**Bond extended his hand, which Nadia eventually shakes. She likes him but tries not to show it. "I'm Nadia."**

**"You're accent?. Romanian?…" asked Bond, instantly impressing her, something Nadia didn't expect him to do.**

**She nodded. "Yes. Not many people get it right first try. Are you well travelled, ****James?…"**

**007 smiled slightly, a flood of memories running through his mind about his many past exploits around the globe. "I get around." he admitted, finally getting Nadia to take the drink he got for her.**

**-**

**A large room inside the mansion contains a wall filled with a dozen camera screens, all linked to the ceiling projector watching the whole ballroom.**

**The snakeskin gloved hand of the man 007 earlier caught sight of upon his arrival rests on a cane, watches a screen showing Bond and Nadia conversing in the corner.**

**"Get her away from him, now." He barked with a gentle sterness, his voice a sharp, smooth Franco-Suisse.**

**The man leaves the order with Marlin Vibert, who sits large as life angrily watching the screens. Near him stands Marcos, who heads away when Vibert nods, returning to view the screen.**

**-**

**The guests in the exquisite ballroom continue mingling as Bond shares a drink with Nadia.**

**"So, Nadia, do you have a surname, or are we just keeping this on first name ****terms?…" Bond asked, increasingly interested in the beautiful woman he'd invested time in pumping for information.**

**She smiled at his question. "Just Nadia." she replied, enigmatically. Bond decided not to make her uncomfortable.**

**"Then, I'll just be James." he retorted.**

**At that moment, as Nadia looked away in placing her drink down, Bond spied Marcos heading towards them from a nearby corridor, looking directly at the couple with a fierce expression.**

**Nadia spoke as she examined the buffet table in putting her drink down. "You're the first person to talk to me tonight, probably even to notice me. And I still know nothing about y-"**

**When Nadia turned back, she found Bond has disappeared, just as Marcos approaches her. 007 is hiding behind a stone pillar to avoid being noticed, not seeing Nadia be led away by Marcos, who looks briefly out for him, before heading off away.**

**The lights all around then proceed to dim, a spotlight falling onto the stage, everyone's silent attention resting on it. Bond, realising this is the moment the man he is here to investigate will finally introduce himself, now mingles into the crowd, watching with them as a man begins to appear, announced by a voice over a loudspeaker.**

**"Ladies and gentlemen, honoured guests," the announcer began. "Please welcome the benefactor for this evening, the owner of this wonderful estate, Maximillian Malprade."**

**The crowd erupts with applause and Bond claps, watching as the man emerges from the shadows. Maximillian Malprade, the man in the snakeskin glove, a Suisse entrepeneur in his fifties who carries a snakeskin cane and wears a macabre mask over half his face.**

**He appears eccentric and frail as he reaches the stand where a microphone rests. He is nothing like 007 expected. The spotlight rests on him as the applause dies down.**

**"Such a warm welcome, thank you all." began Malprade, his smooth, educated lilt filtering across the ballroom. "I see so many friends here this evening and so many people who will become my friends. It is so good of you to be here and support my cause."**

**The raised projector then begins to cast a holographic screen behind Malprade, a towering companion to his speech. The holo screen begins showing a digital rendering of what he talks about, in startling 3D that impresses the crowd and greatly interests Bond.**

**"I give you 'Poseidon'," Malprade declared, proudly. "The reason for this wonderful event, my vision for a better future. Imagine a world where the starving were fed, where those ill with plague were cured, where those dying of thirst had water. I give you 'Poseidon'."**

**007 noticed that Malprade seemed to have such energy when he speaks but such a frail body, leading him to wonder, as the billionaire continues his speech, if the man is all he appears to be.**

**"A project. A goal. A goal that can be achieved through my bio-engineering ****expertise, to create water from air, food from sand, and destroy plague with a simple remedy." Malprade said, the audience wowed and intrigued. "Yes, it can be done. It will be done. With your support, your loyalty and your cheque books."**

**A billow of laughter rings around the ballroom, not stretching to Bond, who can see right through the man everyone else cannot. He was suspicious of his miraculous claims and was growing to dislike the man more every second that went by. He knew he was a liar.**

**"Think of a world without famine or thirst or disease." Malprade continued, growing more and more sermonistic as he spoke. "This is the world I will bring you, a world 'Poseidon' will bring you. A world I will control, so our children, and our children's children, can enjoy a glorious future."**

**The holo-screen fades and the crowd all begin clapping hugely as the lights go up.**

**Bond is sceptical, a view shared only by Nadia, who doesn't notice him as she stands near the garden party with Marcos. 007 sees Malprade enjoy the applause, which he makes die down with a hand movement. It reminded the secret agent of a papal address.**

**"And now, my friends. The party can truly begin." said Malprave with a beaming smile, raising his hands as the crowd again claps and an orchestra of music starts up in a corner of the ballroom, the guests beginning to mingle amongst each other, some dancing.**

**Bond sees guests filter out into the garden and watches Kai and Fai guide the cane-holding Malprave off the stage over to Nadia, who takes his arm. They both head into the gardens, the centre of attention, 007 soon following, intending to speak to the man of the moment.**

**The sun had now fully set and dark was slowly flooding in, multi-coloured lighting beautifully illuminating the warm gardens. Malprade stands with Nadia on his arm talking to guests, Kai and Fai hovering in the background. Bond approaches, Nadia spotting him, pleased.**

**"Oh, there you are, I was wondering where you disappeared to." she said, leading Malprade to look out the corner of his eye at the secret agent as he finishes greeting a wealthy guest.**

**Bond smiled, half his eye on Malprade. "I apologise, Nadia. I momentarily got sidetracked."**

**Malprade then turned to them and interjected. "I don't believe I've had the ****pleasure, Mr?..."**

**"Somerset, James Somerset, Universal Exports." lied Bond as he shook Malprade's snakeskin covered hand, finding it deformed to the touch, only increasing his curiosity of the man.**

**"How did you find my speech, Mr Somerset?…" asked Malprave, testing his guest. "Was it good enough to make you commit your hard earned cash?…"**

**Bond slightly nodded. "It certainly piqued my interest, Mr Malprade. How exactly can your bio-technology create food and water from thin air, for example?…"**

**Malprade smiled distractedly as he responded. "It's a simple nano-technological**

**process, Mr Somerset. Simple to my finest minds that is. To you or I, it's God's work."**

**"Nothing then to do with genetics, the manipulation of human DNA?…" Bond enquired, now testing the host. "Cloned DNA?…"**

**With a momentary look of concern at this, Malprade glanced at Nadia, who 007 noticed seemed fearful about the question and the look she was given. Bond realised he'd hit a nerve as Malprade laughed.**

**"Human cloning is the work of the future." he replied, calmly."Not to mention being very much illegal."**

**Bond nodded, smiling. "I'm sure you'd never dream of such an idea."**

**"You know what they say about dreams, Mr Somerset. And wishes." reminded Malprade, almost as if it was a warning. Bond picked up on this and nodded. He realised that both know who each other really was and they were both conducting the niceties.**

**Nadia is clearly disturbed by the subtext in Malprade's words. "Nadia, darling, we're neglecting our other guests." he said, once again extending his hand to 007, which he shakes. "A pleasure to have met you, Mr Somerset."**

**"The pleasure was all mine, I'm sure." replied Bond, who watched them mingle as he takes another glass of champagne, seeing Nadia briefly turn back and lend him a look of concern. It led him to realise, for certain for the first time, that she was the one who could help him.**

**-**

**In the mansion surveillance room, the screens also extend out to the garden party, one resting on 007 as he walks around with him champagne, clearly checking everything out.**

**Vibert watches him with seething anger, soon seeing Marcos return. "It's him, for sure." the subordinate said.**

**"I know. 007 is like a bad penny. But, he'll soon be spent for good." declared Vibert with growing relish.**

**-**

**The garden party is in full swing and Bond sees Malprade chatting to guests while Kai and Fai stand faithfully by him. The secret agent then sees Nadia slip away unnoticed, heading off around the side of the mansion gardens with a concerned expression.**

**Finishing his drink, Bond follows her. She heads around to the domed area of the estate, it's entrance now protected by two burly guards. From behind a wall, 007 watches as Nadia inputs the password and enters, the guards thinking nothing of her entry.**

**Feigning innocence, Bond stumbles around the front of the domed area, the guards approaching him. "Can we help you, sir?…" one immediately said. "This is a ****restricted area."**

**"Oh, don't mind me, I was just looking for the toilet." Bond replied casually, on his last word unleashing a punch at one of the guards, who is knocked out in the surprise attack.**

**The other guard goes for his gun but Bond smacks his head up the wall, the man slumping to the floor. 007 adjusts his tux. "Hmm, don't seem to need it anymore." he quipped.**

**Bond pulls the hand of one of the guards over to the fingerprint password device, the man's ID clearing, the door opening. He smiled at the limp man. "Much obliged."**

**He slides through the door as it closes on the befallen guards it soon becoming clear the exterior of the dome in 18th century style conceals a futuristic inside of recently built labs and offices around the dome core.**

**007 heads through the corridors of the arboretum lab areas, soon catching sight of Nadia heading through into a lab. He begins approaching the same area, a basic lab mainly holding a powerful computer terminal which Nadia proceeds to access and power up, clearly looking for something.**

**The computer brings up a core devoted to information regarding the 'Poseidon' project, Nadia entering a secure site. A password requirement flickers up and Nadia checks she's not being watched before she enters a password she clearly shouldn't know.**

**She gains access to files that disturb her greatly.**

**Carefully outside the lab, Bond approaches quietly and reaches the door and goes to enter, until his gaze is distracted. He glances over to a lab opposite with the door half open, showing Marcos with several guards holding the two golden vial cases.**

**007 barely breathes as he sees guards sorting out bio-weapons in 'Identicon' crates, while Marcos checks the two vial case contents. The secret agent uses his binoculars to see all eight DNA vials, marked with initials under the name of individual world power.**

**Suddenly, Marcos gets a radio transmission from the assaulted guards, looking for Bond. Alert, he begins heading out, Bond sees him approach and the guards he attacked coming a different way. The info-access lab door opens and 007 is quickly pulled inside.**

**Shoved against the wall, Bond finds Nadia in front of him, she proceeding to passionately kiss him in a sudden movement. The kiss is thoroughly enjoyed by both, although Nadia tries to make out otherwise, not trying to get lost in Bond's touch.**

**"I'm not that kind of man." he said, wryly.**

**Nadia quickly shusshed him and replied. "Shut up, they're coming!…"**

**The door opens and Marcos peers in, seeing merely two figures snogging up the wall. Looking embarrassed, he quickly departs. Once he does, Nadia pulls away from 007, disappointed at the fact.**

**"And here was me thinking Romanian's were cold to the touch." Bond quipped, not raising a laugh from Nadia.**

**"If they'd have caught us, they'd have killed us both." she declared gravely.**

**Bond looked unsure, a little sarcastically. "We're party guests, what harm could ****Malprade inflict on us?. Unless you know something I don't."**

**Observing him close up, Nadia begins to realise she recognises him, that she'd seen him before. It dawns on her where. "I saw you in Madrid. Who are you?…" she asked, not sure whether to trust him.**

**"More to the point, who are you?…" Bond retorted. "What do you know about Poseidon?. What's Malprave really planning?…"**

**Afraid to say anything, Nadia instantly clams up. "I...I can't..."**

**"Why, because he'll kill you?…" guessed Bond, seeing from her reaction his hunch was correct. "I won't let that happen. Trust me."**

**Bond holds her by the arms and Nadia at first goes to speak, but then wriggles away. She shakes her head, unable to trust, and quickly departs the lab, leaving 007 disappointed.**

**-**

**The conversation has just been watched and heard in the mansion surveillance room by Malprade, no longer looking unsteady and clutching his cane tight in palm.**

**Vibert sits nearby, an angry look on his face. Malprade's cold lack of emotion is scarier.**

**"Let me deal with him." Vibert growled, seeing Malprade shake his head.**

**"No need." he admitted, a touch arrogantly. "It's already arranged. Mr Bond will be seen to tonight, for good."**

**His cane in hand, Malprade walks out with no frailty, it all clearly an act. He leaves Vibert grinning as it dawns on him the fate his superior has in mind for the secret agent.**

**-**

**The gala ball is in full swing in the ballroom, but a number of guests are now retiring to their rooms, heading up the spiral staircase to the exorbitantly grande guest suites.**

**Bond is one of them, trying not to be noticed as he hastily heads up towards the guest bedroom areas, succeeding. He opens the door to his room and gets a surprise.**

**In his huge four-poster bed, 007 sees the naked forms of both Kai and Fai waiting for him. He enters, closing the door behind him. "I don't remember ordering room service." he quipped.**

**Kai motioned seductively. "We come compliments of Mr Malprave."**

**Bond grinned. "I'm sure you do."**

**The two twin sisters slink under the covers, looking unhealthily into one another sexually. 007 realises they aren't likely to leave any time soon and heads toward the bed.**

**"I suppose it'd be rude to turn down the hospitality of the host." he conceded with a smile.**

**Bond climbs onto the bed, whereby Fai starts kissing him as Kai undresses him, the night really beginning.**

**-**

**Come the break of day, the hot sun rises onto the gardens now filled with the leftovers from the party, littering the area as cleaners tidy up the mess made by the guests.**

**Naked under the covers except for pyjama trousers covering his modesty, Bond awakens from his slumber as the sun casts in. The twin sisters from the night before are gone and 007 is chained by both arms to the bed. He realises this isn't good.**

**"They could have at least left me the key." He said, his mirth soon fading as he sees an extremely large, poisonous python wriggling across the floor, heading for and sliding up the bed toward him. Immediately, he begins trying to wriggle out of the handcuffs, soon finding they won't budge.**

**He tries to hide his fear as the python slithers up and over him, wrapping itself around his body slowly, starting to squeeze tight. 007 looks up and realises the window is directly behind the bed, unable barely to move as the snake squeezes tighter.**

**The python slithers around so it's face is by his neck, ready to sting in response to movement. Bond steadies himself. He then quickly pushes his feet off the bed, which fly up in a gambole position at such force they shatter the window behind.**

**He is carried up and half out the shattered window, the force causing the snake to lose it's grip and fall down onto the gardens below. The handcuffs cut into Bond's wrists painfully as he hangs vertical out the window, the large bed starting to drag out with the weight.**

**Bond begins trying to smash the handcuffs into the concrete so they'll crack. As he does, the pain increases. Eventually, he cracks one handcuff, dropping further down the side of wall, increased pain on his right hand from the handcuff gripping at him.**

**007 cracks it just as the bed comes tumbling out the window. He lands next to the slithering snake, rolling aside as the bed collapses onto the creature. Only half-dressed, Bond stands and massages his wrists. "How's that for a landing?…" he rhetorically asked himself.**

**He then sees armed guards on patrol and realises they want him dead. He quickly dashes off out of sight, around to the front entrance.**

**The main foyer of the mansion is filled with the guests from the previous evening, all preparing now to depart the estate.**

**Bond enters and is watched by the men and women through being half-naked, he nodding politely in response as he heads upstairs. While the guests clear out, 007 goes about checking all of the bedroom suites, looking for a certain someone in particular.**

**"Nadia?...Nadia?..." he calls as he moves around, disappointed he cannot find her anywhere, until he then sees a window to the back of the mansion, adjoining the driveway.**

**He observes Malprade bid goodbye to guests with Kai and Fai before fraily walking towards his dome arboretum area. Seeing this, Bond heads out of the bedroom areas.**

**Moving quite casually but with his wits about him, 007 approaches the arboretum area. A team of security guards soon spot him on patrol, ordering him to stop as they run towards the arboretum lab door. Bond gets to the door but once he sees them coming, begins to scramble up a nearby drain pipe onto the roof of the surrounding labs.**

**The guards begin firing machine guns at Bond as he climbs onto the roof, running up onto the spherical top of the glass dome. He avoids the fire as he gets onto the dome roof, seeing inside a mini-jungle stretching a long vertical and horizontal distance.**

**Guards surround the arboretum as 007 reaches the height of the dome, bullets coming in at all angles, some sure to hit. Bond, wearing a wedding ring, turns it and unleashes a sonic agitator that shatters the glass of the dome roof, causing him to fall through.**

**The dome interior is an entire preserved eco-system, a small jungle regulated at sweltering heat, filled with plant and other life. Bond plummets down into the jungle, surrounded by the rainfall of glass with it. Once he lands, he shakes the glass off.**

**A little in pain from the fall, 007 nonetheless gets up and begins looking around, until a familiar figure comes striding in. It is Malprade, no longer looking as frail, Kai and Fai at his side.**

**"What do you think of my private jungle, 007?…" he enquired, somewhat theatrically.**

**"I think you feel very at home." Bond said, dispensing with the niceties as he glanced at the grinning Japanese twin sisters, who he asked. "Do you leave all your men tied up or was I a special case?…"**

**Malprade grinned. "They wanted to make sure you were especially dead."**

**Bond grinned back. "I'm sorry to disappoint them."**

**Kai and Fai smile at him, obviously both rather enamoured of the man, while also ready to kill him. They both see Bond suddenly turn serious as he addresses the so-called philanthropist. "What have you done with Nadia?…"**

**"Ms Damescu will be taken care of in due course." Malprade declared, ominously. "As for you, Mr Bond, I will deal your hand of fate."**

**At that point, Malprade flicks open the top of his cane, withdrawing a long, thin, sharp sword with snakeskin handle. He nods to Kai and Fai, the latter of whom throws 007 a less than impressive sword before heading off out of the sweltering arboretum.**

**"Gentleman's duel. How very dashing." quipped Bond, just as, in a quick motion, Malprade comes at him with his sword, 007 defending. A momentarily blur of sword action gives Malprade the upper hand. The two break away after the blur.**

**"Awfully spry for such a frail guy." Bond remarked, encouraging a twisted smile from Malprade's deformed face. **

**"An act, I admit, to encourage the generosity of my more fiscal group of ****benefactors." Malprade said. "You'll find I can more than hold my own."**

**Bond raised an eyebrow dryly. "Really?. I'm very pleased for you."**

**Another blur of sword action takes place, Malprade going on the offensive. His sword action certainly is impressive, 007 just defending. The fight stretches through the dense eco-system, Malprade reacting well to the more than clement surroundings.**

**"You seem to thrive on the atmosphere." Bond remarked. "Hot enough for you in here?…"**

**"Not nearly hot enough." declared Malprade as the swordfight continued, becoming even more intense as it carries on, Malprade inflicting Bond with a blur of activity.**

**007 manages to fight him off, seeing Malprade's sword cut through the foliage as he swings it with speed, power and control. The fight proceeds to climax as Bond becomes pinned up against a cage wall, the tip of Malprade's sword right at his throat.**

**As Kai and Fai reenter at the doorway, Malprade sheathes the sword into his cane. "You fight well, 007." he admitted.**

**"Not well enough, it would seem." replied Bond, to which Malprade smiled his agreement.**

**"The time has come for me to leave, the final phase of Poseidon needs my urgent attention." he declared. "I wouldn't dream, however, of leaving you without a parting challenge."**

**Fai then presses a button near the door and the openings of cages dotted around the arborteum begin opening slowly. Malprade heads over to the door as 007 steps into the middle of the dome jungle, hearing the sound of fierce animals emerging from the cages.**

**"Goodbye, Mr Bond. I hope when my pets digest your body, they savour the best bits." Malprade said with relish, departing with a grin, Kai and Fai loyally by his side.**

**Bond sees the door seal and then finds half a dozen man-eating reptiles begin emerging from their cages, tethered to very weak steel leads. The hungry reptiles begin snapping at him, who sees them tugging at the leads. He grabs his discarded sword nearby.**

**007 stands ready with his sword to defend himself.**

**-**

**Adjoining the dome labs, a large series of electronic garages begin automatically opening their doors to reveal cars inside.**

**Malprade approaches the front, observing Kai and Fai begin backing out with hand signals two exquisite stretch black limousines driven by guards into the expansive drive.**

**Vibert then emerges from the mansion toward him, Marcos with him holding the vial cases.**

**"Did you find her?…" Malprade asked Vibert, who shook his head, clearly disappointed in himself.**

**"I'm afraid doctor Damescu has slipped out of our reach." He admitted, though Malprade isn't that concerned.**

**"It doesn't matter." He said. "I know exactly where she'll go and to whom. My man will be waiting for her there."**

**Vibert grins as he and his superior watch as their transportation is backed out before them.**

**-**

**The crocodiles, alligators, tigers and leopards tethered to the shaky leads in the arboretum dome continue roaring at Bond as they snap their jaws at him. He stands ready in the middle of them, swiping his sword as some snap worryingly close, stretching their leads to breaking point.**

**007 begins looking at the sealed door, observing the visage of guards outside keeping watch, giving him an idea. He plunges the sword into the eye of the crocodile in his way of the door and climbs over it as it wriggles for a painful death.**

**Bond reaches the door and begins banging it, shouting. "Hey!. They're all dead!. All the animals are dead!."**

**The guards on the opposite side look through the door and only see the crocodile lying slumped near the door, in their field of vision. Concerned, the two men unlock the door and enter, Bond standing to the side of the door, slamming one guard unconscious up the wall.**

**He grabs the other one in a chokehold as the reptiles break free of their shackles, rapidly closing in on the smell of human flesh. Bond pushes the guard into them and jumps behind the door, sealing it. He hears the screams as the guard are devoured.**

**"Some animals'll eat anything." He quipped, before rushing away.**

**Quickly, still only half-dressed, Bond dashes out of the entrance to the arboretum labs and dome, hiding behind a wall. He peers around to see Malprade, Vibert, Kai and Fai all entering the first of the two limos, while Marcos puts the vial cases in the back.**

**The first limo heads off down the drive and vanishes out of sight as it leaves the estate. The second limo is driven by Marcos, holding a number of guards in the back. It starts up, slowly beginning to follow the other one.**

**At top speed, Bond runs out of hiding and charges towards the second limo. Guards all around the estate see and fire at him. He avoids the fire and runs to the back of the limo, diving and catching the bumper as the vehicle speeds out of the estate.**

**Guards fire at him until the estate gates seal up.**

**The second limo begins gaining speed as it drives off down the swirling Spanish countryside roads away from the estate. Bond is dragged on the underside of the car as he hangs onto the bumper, bracing the pain of the road as the car drives on.**

**Guards in the back of the car extend through the window and fire at him. While driving, Marcos grabs his radio.**

**The radio is picked up by the guard in the passenger seat of the first limo, who hears Marcos on the other end and passes it to Vibert, in the process of driving the car.**

**Malprade, in the back with Kai and Fai, looks concerned as Vibert listens to Marcos in Spanish. "It's Bond." he declares, turning to his boss, who instantly grows defensive.**

**"Faster." said Malprade quickly and sharply, leading Vibert to chuck the radio aside and increases speed as Malprade looks out the rear window, trying to spot his adversary.**

**The second limo loses ground on the first as it increases speed, the car now being swerved by Marcos to shake off the unwanted passenger. Bond is bobbed about painfully on the road as the car swerves, causing the guards bullets to miss him as they fire.**

**Once the swerving and the bullets stop, 007 begins to climb from the back of the bumper onto the rear boot bonnet. Hanging on, he kicks the back windscreen glass through, glass hurting the two guards in the back, who also get kicked in the face.**

**Before they can get guns to fire, Bond lurches forward and grabs both with his hands, flinging them out the back powerfully. He hangs on as the guards hit the road behind, then seeing a third guard from the front passenger seat dive through the shattered windscreen.**

**He and Bond start scrapping on the back bonnet, holding on as Marcos skids the car at speed around a series of tight country bends. 007 begins getting the upper hand in the punches, until both he and the guard are flung off the back at a tight bend.**

**The guard hits the road with force, while Bond manages to steady himself with a gambole. He proceeds to gambole very fast down through a patch of vertical green countryside bridging the swirling road above and below. He passes through the greenery just as the second limo starts to pass the road below, the secret agent leaping onto it.**

**007 graps the passenger door as the car passes, it flinging open as Marcos fires a machine gun at it, just missing the agent. The door flies in the wind as Bond hangs onto the speeding car for dear life, seeing the door coming off it's hinges. He swings himself into the car just as the door breaks away and slams into a tree as speed, embedding itself like a sword by a woodcutter.**

**While driving, Marcos goes to fire his machine gun, but Bond kicks it away as he swings in. The two begin exchanging punches, grappling for control of the car, which dangerously begins swerving to both sides of the road. Bond eventually grabs Marcos and repeatedly slams his head on the steering wheel, knocking him out after much effort.**

**Marcos slumps down, his feet stuck to the accelerator, the limo increasing to dangerous speeds for a short, winding country road. Pushing him aside, 007 grabs the wheel from the passenger seat and controls the car as it begins gaining on the first limo.**

**He takes short cuts through greenery to avoid dangerous curves, almost crashing into trees and flying on ramps over wine valleys. Eventually, Bond gets the limo on a straight piece of countryside. The car proceeds to get right on the bumper of the first limo.**

**Malprade looks through the back at the second limo right at the bumper. He sees Bond driving it, anger turning to frustration. "Doesn't that man ever die?…"**

**As Kai and Fai begin readying machine guns, Malprade turns to Vibert. "Prepare to use the booster."**

**Nodding, Vibert begins opening a panel exposing a red button near the gearstick.**

**With the limo positioned, Bond proceeds to open the sunroof above him and push himself quickly through it, sitting on the top. He ducks as Kai and Fai begin firing machine guns from inside the first limo. 007 keeps the car straight by using his feet with the steering wheel. By his feet, Marcos begins slowly to wake up from his enforced slumber.**

**The second limo hits the bumper of the first limo and Bond braves bullets by climbing down onto the engine of his car. He perilously lies on it and begins reaching over towards the boot of the first limo, steadying himself with his feet on the engine.**

**Seeing him, Malprade realises what he's attempting to do. "Give me that!…" he bellows to Fai, grabbing off her a machine gun he uses to fire bullets into the back windscreen, smashing it.**

**As he begins fiddling with the catch to open the boot, Bond sees the windscreen smash with bullets and Malprade stick out the gun. The bullets he fires at 007 ricochet onto the boot as Bond opens it quickly, grabbing the two vial case contents inside.**

**Cursing at the bullets missing, Malprade growls. "Get us out of here!…" at which point Vibert reaches for the gearstick and presses the red button.**

**Grabbing the cases, Bond dives off the two cars and lands on the country road. He sees a rocket booster extend from the back of the first limo, a burst of fire shooting the car off at extreme speed. The fire ignites the engine of the second limo, Marcos screaming as the car explodes hugely in the middle of the road, the first limo speeding away successfully.**

**Bond watches the explosion from the roadside, clutching the two cases, the key to what his new nemesis has planned……**


	5. Chapter Four, Bucharest, Romania

_**007: Eye of the Serpent**_

**BRITISH EMBASSY,**

**BUCHAREST,**

**ROMANIA.**

**A streak of blue sky cuts across the cloud-filled landscape of the ancient eastern European city, stretched out in all it's glory. Near the centre, the British Embassy lies at the heart of a square, large gates attached to a wall beyond gardens currently being tended.**

**At the gates stands Dr. Arkady Damescu, a decent peaceful man in his sixties, who looks pleased as he sees a car approach. The private car stops in front of him at the Embassy gate and out steps a well-attired Nadia Damescu, who sees her beloved relative. "Father!…" she cried, happily.**

**Arkady broadly smiled at the sight of her. "My girl, my beautiful girl!…"**

**Nadia ran over and hugged Arkady tight, who kissed her on the forehead, delighted to be with her.**

**"I'm so glad you're here, father." admitted Nadia, as the embrace came to an end.**

**"If my daughter needs me, I am nowhere else but by her side. " Arkady declared with an assured, fatherly tone. "You need not be frightened any longer."**

**Nadia, though, seemed a little unsure. "Are you sure the British can be trusted?. Malprade is a powerful man."**

**"I trust them, and I would never let them near you if I didn't." replied Arkady with confidence, to which Nadia nods and smiles her appreciation, but still retains an element of paranoia.**

**Behind them, throughout the conversation, a black man has been giving orders to Embassy workers at the gate, who Arkady now motions towards with his fearful daughter.**

**"My girl, I want you to meet my friend, a man who has pledged your safety…" He said, reaching the black man who turns around with a smile, extending his hand in greeting to Nadia.**

**The man is Reginald Balfour. "Welcome back to Romania, my dear." he said politely. "There's no place like home, is there?…"**

**Nadia smiles, shaking his hand, which pleases Arkady. Neither have any idea who Balfour really works for.**

**-**

**An attractive set of 19th century apartments in the posher part of the capital are now approached by a car, which arrives at the front, out of which steps a suited and booted James Bond. He observes the rustic, expensive apartments before stepping inside.**

**Bond makes his way up a rather bland, unremarkable first floor corridor holding several flats and staircases leading up two further flights, walking to the end of the corridor to a wall, near which there sits a large pot plant. He touches the main leaf of the plant.**

**On the wall, a panel slides up revealing the handle of a hidden door, which 007 opens up to a secret MI6 area beyond, a warehouse area decorated in 19th century eastern European décor, several offices adjoining. Bond walks in slowly, surprised to find the interior is totally abandoned, devoid of people and any furniture whatsoever.**

**He then hears a familiar voice in the air. The voice of Q. "Are you just going to stand around all day, 007?…"**

**Bond looks around, somewhat puzzled at the disembodied voice, until he sees what's on the ceiling. It's a device that is using lasers to trick the eye, a laser field Bond exposes by the smoke from a cigarette he proceeds to lights, beating the gadget man at his own game.**

**The smoke destroys the holographic projection from the lasers, revealing the real cluttered warehouse of boffins and the familiar figure of Q, the haughty, bumbling quartermaster in his sixties, who stands amidst a field of gadgets with a very disapproving look.**

**With a smile that infuriates the inventor, Bond extends his pack of smokes. "Care for a cigarette, Q?…"**

**Q stepped forward to address the secret agent with all seriousness. "That cigarette of yours, 007, just disabled a holo-sensory field, lasers which project an altered image of a room onto the visual cortex of the human eye. That smoke could have cost you your life."**

**Bond nodded, glancing at the cigarette he's smoking. "Well, they do say smoking is bad for your health."**

**Q shakes his head unamused at the quip he just heard, as Bond enters his gadget area fully, looking around at all the innovations. He never failed to be fascinated at what the technical genius would produce next.**

**"Now, pay attention, 007." Q ordered in his usual authoritative tone before displaying to Bond a small metallic device that attaches to a belt, which intrigues the spy.**

**"One standard issue stealth shield." began Q. "Apply to any belt and press once ****to activate a sensory stealth field rendering you invisible to the human eye."**

**Q presses the device he attached to his belt, instantly cloaking him from vision, only the slight outline of him clear. Bond smiles at the sight of the vanished quarter****master.**

**"Now, as you can see, I am entirely invisible." the almost disembodied voice of Q announced, somewhat stating the obvious.**

**Bond couldn't resist another quip. "You know, I don't think you've ever looked better." he said. Even without being able to see him, he knew Q wouldn't find the joke funny.**

**He was right. "Very funny, Bond." Q said, sarcastically. "This is actually a very serious piece of equipment."**

**"Of course, you're right." Bond said, with mock seriousness. "I just lost sight of it for a moment."**

**Q sighs and then reappears when he presses the device, shaking his head. Bond then turns to see an on-location M appear from a nearby office. "Glad to see you're on time, 007." she said.**

**"M." greeted Bond, as he followed M into her small office, leaving Q to his many gadgets.**

**"Because time, is rapidly mobilising against us." M declared.**

**"You've found Nadia?…" Bond asked with concern.**

**M nodded. "Her father, Arkady Damescu, contacted MI6 and requested his ****daughter be allowed sanctuary at our embassy here in Bucharest."**

**The name was recognised by 007. "Arkady Damescu?. A well-respected ****international scientist, by all accounts."**

**"A man we're able to take at his word that his daughter genuinely is in danger." M confirmed.**

**"I can vouch for that." replied Bond. "I just haven't yet been able to figure out why."**

**"It seems Ms Damescu has information on Poseidon, Malprade's philanthropic ****plan to cure global famine and disease." M explained, instantly noticing Bond's scepticism.**

**"Possibly." he said. "Not that his speech in Spain won me over. What he was suggesting seemed implausible at the very least."**

**"And what would seem plausible to you?…" asked M, hoping for answers.**

**"That Malprade's company were involved in human cloning." Bond replied. "That those vial cases I retrieved play a big part in what Poseidon is really about."**

**M nodded, understanding, though noticing that Bond is observing her presence with curiosity. "May I ask what you're doing all the way out here?…"**

**"I'm on my way to provide security for the G8 summit in Hong Kong. " she replied. "The world leaders are being transported by aircraft carrier. I felt it easier to stop off and debrief you."**

**007 nodded, not reading anything into the reason as M continued. "Dr Damescu and his daughter are waiting for you at the embassy with the Poseidon data. Find out what data she has and make sure no one kills her for it. If Malprade does have a plan, it needs to be stopped."**

**Bond seemed anxious at the order. "The last time I was ordered to protect a woman, things didn't go exactly to plan." he admitted, gravely.**

**"You didn't get Agent Nightshade killed," M declared with a stern, yet oddly reassuring tone. "Don't make things personal."**

**"Never." Bond assured her with total focus before heading out the office as M watches him go.**

**Q sees him exit and opens up a small garage area, out of which automatically drives a brand new BMW identical to the last one. "Ah, 007, your new car." He said, attracting Bond's attention. "An exact replica BMW of the one you 'used' in Spain. Do try bringing this one back in pristine order."**

**Bond heads over to the BMW and nods as Q throws him the car keys.**

**"Don't worry, Q. I'll take good care of her." He promised, not altogether convincing the quartermaster.**

**-**

**The BMW drives through the gates of the beautiful well-guarded embassy, heading up the brief driveway to the entrance.**

**Bond steps out of the car, Arkady emerging from the front door, hand outstretched warmly.**

**"Mr Bond," the scientist greeted. "I am Arkady Damescu. I was told you were coming."**

**Bond shook the outstretched hand. "How do you do, doctor?. How is your daughter?."**

**"She is well, well thank you…" replied Arkady, leading 007 through into the corridors of the embassy, beautifully decorated with paintings and wallpaper, filled with staff going about their business.**

**"M told me that Nadia has information on Poseidon." Bond declared as the two men walked through the embassy.**

**Arkady nodded. "She downloaded a data file in Spain that proves Maximillian Malprade is lying to the world about Poseidon. She is afraid his forces will kill to stop her sharing what she knows."**

**"But she has told you, I take it?…" asked Bond, at which Arkady nodded in agreement.**

**"She told me about Malprade," the scientist said. "How he took the limits of his bio-technology to the extreme."**

**Bond grew more curious by the moment as Arkady continued. "Malprade suffers from a rare disorder that mimics cold bloodnedness. As a way of curing this ailment, he tried a radical proceedure. He injected himself with reptile DNA, a proceedure that worked but left him with certain reptilian features he is forced to ****disguise and a lapse into cold-blooded fury when exposed to low temperatures."**

**"Would explain why he likes heat." Bond replied, putting the pieces together.**

**Arkady agreed. "Just so. He is a very dangerous man, one my daughter is wise to avoid. I just hope we can protect her."**

**"I won't let anything happen to her." said Bond assuredly, meaning every word he spoke. Arkady detected this and nodded with a pleased smile as they reach the door to his daughter's room.**

**Both men see that the door is open, revealing a guest room devoid of life. Arkady is worried at the sight. "I don't understand. She should be in here. Where has she gone?…" he asked rhetorically.**

**His concern began rubbing off on 007, who could smell a trap and feared something wasn't quite right.**

**-**

**At that very moment, Nadia enters the plush office belonging to the traitorous diplomat Balfour, knocking the door as she enters. She begins to see the office is devoid of life.**

**"Hello, Mr Balfour?…" Nadia said as she ventured in. "You asked to see me, Mr Balfour?…**

**Nadia fully enters the office, no sign of it's usual occupant.**

**-**

**As the dark of night fell over the grounds of the embassy, the lockdown beginning. **

**The gates started electronically sealing, the security guards going on full patrol.**

**In the basement of the embassy, an office is devoted to the security officers working in the building, currently empty as the guards go on about locking up for the encroaching night.**

**Balfour entered the office very discreetly, like a shadow, and started to access a computer terminal, inputting codes and passwords to act against the security lockdown.**

**A virus alert sounded as the lockdown proceedure halted, all areas open to entry. An alarm sounded.**

**-**

**Around the guest quarters, the alarm sounds, both Arkady and Bond hearing it with concern.**

**"What the hell is that?…" Arkady exclaimed, the secret agent knowing exactly what the noise meant.**

**"Security alert," declared Bond. "The lockdown has been sabotaged."**

**007 glances out a nearby window giving a view of the embassy forefront gardens.**

**He looks closely out the window and begins to see two large black helicopter gunships approaching across the dark skyline. As they close in, searchlights blare out the front.**

**-**

**The alarm is heard by a concerned Nadia in the deserted diplomat's office. Suspecting the noise may either be a fire alarm or a signal of attack, a fearful Nadia goes to leave.**

**Once reaching the door, she looks a little relieved as she sees Balfour enter. "Mr Balfour, thank god!." she said. "What is happening?…"**

**Balfour closes the door and pulls out a gun, pointing it at her as he smiles. "You are going to give me the data file disc on Poseidon," he said, coldly. "That is what is ****happening."**

**Nadia is shocked at his betrayal, stepping back as the gun remains focused on her.**

**-**

**Security are now rushing through the corridors, past an increasingly worried Arkady. "We must find Nadia!…" he shouts, seeing Bond nod agreement as they head through the corridors.**

**He sees the gunships fly in and begin shelling the patrolling guards in the forecourt, powerless to defend. The truth suddenly begins dawning on him, about who is responsible.**

**"I think I know where to start." Bond said, heading away quickly.**

**-**

**The standoff continues in the plush diplomat's office, Nadia hearing the gunfire and commotion outside. Balfour approaches her with the gun aimed. "The disc, now!…" he barked, spitefully.**

**Reluctantly, realising she has no option, Nadia pulls out a small optical disc and hands it over. Balfour views it with a grin as he pockets it, but doesn't lower the gun from Nadia.**

**"Thank you, Ms Damescu, but this is where it has to end." the diplomat said, with an element of warped relish.**

**"What?…" Nadia replied, disturbed. "But I gave you the disc!..."**

**Balfour nodded. "And you betrayed Mr Malprade. The one thing he does not tolerate."**

**Nadia stands rigid, accepting her life is over as Balfour goes to pull the trigger. He is jolted when suddenly the door is kicked through by Bond, who instantly pulls out his Walther PPK.**

**Balfour sees him and turns the gun on him, 007 getting the first shot in, a bullet striking the diplomat's arm painfully. He drops the disc and, bleeding, flees out a secondary door. Nadia grabs the disc and looks relieved as Bond approaches her from the doorway.**

**"Are you alri-" he began to ask, distracted when the windows begin to smash as gunship bulletfire comes crashing through. Bond pushes Nadia to the floor hastily to avoid the shelling. He draws his gun and scrambles toward the window as the bullets come flying in.**

**Once they stop, Bond looks out to the forecourt and sees one of the gunships landing, depositing an assault team who storm the building. In the other gunship, he observes the mysterious, seductive Jacqual perched, holding a bazooka rifle. The two exchange a glance as she aims.**

**007 dives to the floor over Nadia as a bazooka missile comes flying into the wall, which explodes in a huge blast. "We have to get out of here!…" he exclaimed, though Nadia had other concerns.**

**"Where's my father?…" she wondered aloud.**

**-**

**The corridors are ablaze with carnage. The assault team are storming the building, taking on the security and winning. Jacqual has jumped off the gunship and is, with warped delight, blowing parts of the building away with her mobile missile rifle, explosions rocking it.**

**Amidst the carnage, Arkady is lost, looking for his daughter. Turning a corner, he walks straight into the gunpoint of Balfour.**

**"You!…" the scientist exclaimed, angrily, now knowing the truth about the man he considered an ally.**

**Balfour smiled smugly. "What are friends for?…" he said, nastily nudging Arkady as a hostage through the corridors.**

**-**

**On an upper floor corridor, Bond is guiding Nadia through as best he can, shooting any of the assault team members who appear. From a window, Nadia looks out and sees Balfour forcing Arkady into one of the gunships, a weapon twisted into the old man's ribs.**

**"James, look!…" she exclaimed with horror, leading Bond to look out the window as the gunship begins powering up to take off. "Father!…"**

**"We can't help him now." Bond announced, horrifying Nadia. "But, we can't just leave him!…" she said.**

**"We have to survive first!." replied Bond sternly. "Come on!…"**

**007 dragged Nadia down the corridor, shooting assault team members who get in the way. Turning a corner, they both face a squad of assault members, both using fighting skills to knock them down. Once they do, the two see the enigmatic Jacqual slink her way over at the opposite side of the corridor. She places the bazooka rifle at her feet.**

**Bond is startled as she removes her mask, revealed to be an evil-looking Zoe Nightingale, or someone who looks identical to her. The secret agent is shocked and momentarily bemused, until he guesses the woman before him is the fruit of his nemesis' labours.**

**"Hello, James," the slinky figure said. "It's been too long."**

**Bond shook his head as he aimed his weapon at the woman. "You're not Zoe. You killed her. I was there."**

**"I could be, Zoe." Jacqual replied, seductively. "I could have been your Zoe, James."**

**"Never." countered Bond, defiantly. "You took my Zoe away."**

**Jacqual smiled. "Then let me take away your Nadia too."**

**Quickly, she picks up her bazooka rifle and fires a missile down the corridor. 007 and Nadia fling themselves aside, the missile blowing out the wall to the forecourt, a heap of rubble raining down on them. Jacqual begins slinking her way down the corridor, ready to fire again.**

**Seeing the opening to the outside, Bond grabs Nadia and the two dive out of the wall opening, landing on the gardens below. Jacqual stands on the edge of the destroyed wall and watches as they jump into the BMW, speeding off out the embassy gates.**

**She smiles, knowing she'll get another chance.**

**-**

**The car speeds off through the streets of Bucharest, Nadia looking all around as Bond makes sure they're not being followed. "We must find my father." she declared.**

**"First you tell me what was on that disc you stole." Bond said as he retained control of the car, keeping up high speed while swerving around traffic. "What is Poseidon?…"**

**Nadia realised she had to give him answers. "It's a cloning program, funded by the Botanicon weapon smuggling operation and fake charity projects like the one in Spain."**

**"Of which Balfour and Zoe were test subjects." Bond confirmed, putting the pieces together in his head. "For what purpose?…"**

**"I don't know," Nadia admitted, honestly. "All I know is that once I realised it wasn't about helping the world, I fled and came home for protection. And now my ****father may be dead because of me."**

**Bond shook his head. "They won't kill your father."**

**"How can you be so sure?…" replied Nadia, unsure at his confidence.**

**"Because he's bait," began Bond. "They know you'll come for him and you're the one who can expose their operation. They want you dead."**

**"I got that." admitted Nadia.**

**"Hopefully you've also got an idea where they've taken your father, too." said Bond, fishing for an answer from the woman in the passenger seat. Nadia did indeed have the answers.**

**"The disc has coordinates for where Poseidon is being run, somewhere in the South China Sea." she said. Bond nodded, pleased at having the information, now determined to use it.**

**"Then what are we waiting for?…" he said, Nadia agreeing with anxiety as the BMW sped off faster into Bucharest.**


	6. Chapter Five, South China Sea

_**007: Eye of the Serpent**_

**MALPRADE OIL RIG,**

**SOUTH CHINA SEA.**

**A huge oil rig deep in the middle of the hot sea, burning sun casting down on clear blue ocean, a heavy security presence aboard. The two deathly black helicopter gunships are cruising through the sky towards the top deck of the rig, ready to land.**

**Marlin Vibert stood on the top deck in all his imposing glory, flanked by armed guards. He saw both gunships land before him. Out of one stepped Balfour, smugly holding Arkady at gunpoint, ushering him over to guards who surround the scientist.**

**Vibert approaches both, observing Arkady. "Doctor Damescu, you have a very ****talented daughter," the creepy bio-smuggler admitted. "It was she who gave me this indestructible armour."**

**Arkady nodded, proudly. "She is a wonderful girl, and if you harm her in any way, I'll-"**

**"You'll what?…" interjected Vibert, with the patronising laugh of a man who knows he's in control. "You're hardly in a position to demand, doctor. Don't worry, you'll soon be reunited with your daughter. Permanently."**

**Vibert nodded to his guards, who began carrying a fearful Arkady to the side, as he ****turned towards the pleased Balfour. "Let me see now, Reginald," he said, pacing round the diplomat. "You had yourself subjected to the first phase of cloning experiments, you fooled MI6 into believing you dead and you brought us a valuable ****hostage."**

**"I do as Mr Malprade commands." Balfour said, a loyal streak shining through.**

**"Good." Vibert nodded, with a grin. "Because Mr Malprade commands that your contract is fullfilled."**

**Vibert extends his hand to a guard, who promptly fills it with a gun. Casually, he fires a bullet into the chest of a shocked Balfour, killing him instantly, the man dropping dead. Vibert then sees Jacqual seductively step out of the second gunship and approach, kicking the limp diplomats body off the edge of the rig into the ocean below.**

**"You made it safe." Vibert said, addressing her. "Mr Malprade will be delighted."**

**"And the girl will come, soon enough." Jacqual confirmed, confidently. "With Bond."**

**"Good." said Vibert. "I owe him a painful demise."**

**Jacqual laughs as she and Vibert begin guiding a disturbed Arkady across the rig.**

**-**

**A pair of hi-tech binoculars watch this from afar, observing the two villains guide the scientist toward a lift. The binoculars are held by James Bond, now in a speedboat around half-a-mile away out of sight of the bad guys with a concerned Nadia Damescu in tow.**

**"They've just delivered him." Bond announced, instantly worrying Nadia. "Is he hurt?…" she asked.**

**"No. But, the day is young." he admitted, putting the binoculars away, viewing the monstrous rig with interest.**

**Nadia was puzzled. "Why would Malprave be cloning people on an oil rig here?…"**

**"I'd suggest we knock on the front door and find out, but this place is heavily guarded." Said Bond, his mind ticking over about what their next step should be, as Nadia asked. "Then, how do we get inside?…"**

**Bond looked at her with a smile. "I think this calls for a diversion, don't you?…"**

**Nadia wondered what he meant as 007 hit the accelerator, the speedboat churning toward the rig.**

**On the top deck, Vibert and Jacqual descend down into the rig with Arkady and several armed guards on a futuristic elevator. The guards patrolling all of the rig decks begin to see the speedboat appear at super-fast speed, rapidly heading for the rig.**

**Drawing machine guns, the guards begin pouring bullets into the kamikaze speedboat, which explodes hugely just shy of hitting the rig. The moment it blows, Bond and Nadia emerge from the ocean near a jetty at the back of the rig, free of guards distracted by the boat.**

**007 climbs quickly onto the jetty, seeing Nadia horrified as Balfour's dead body floats past. "Oh, God…it's Balfour." **

**"Someone must have given him the bullet." quipped Bond, as he helped up Nadia onto the jetty, both heading into the rig with all security distracted. They soon see the lift descending, Vibert, Jacqual and Arkady heading down into the huge construction below.**

**"Where's that lift going?…" wondered Nadia.**

**Bond smiled. "Let's find out." he said as he opened a ladder hatch adjoining the descending lift and both quickly begin climbing down it, not being spotted by the villains.**

**U.S.S WASHINGTON,**

**SOUTH CHINA SEA.**

**A massive US Navy aircraft carrier powers it's way through the clear blue sea a few dozen miles away from the oil rig. On the top deck, a huge presence of Navy guards are around the G8 summit members, the leaders of the major industrial world powers.**

**Journalists from across the world are reporting live and awaiting a press conference from the world leaders, one for CNN.**

**"The USS Washington is transporting the G8 leaders, of the USA, France, China, Germany, India, Israel, Russia and England, to the summit location in Hong Kong, where such topics as the environment, Third World debt and the war on terrorism are on the agenda. It's hoped the summit will produce real breakthroughs for the ****future of the planet." the reporter said.**

**Surrounding the world leaders are a mass of secret service personnel. M is there, with Moneypenny. The two then see senior MI6 operations officer Bill Tanner approach.**

**"Any word on James?…" Moneypenny asked him.**

**Tanner nodded. "Bond just sent word. He's reached the coordinates, a Malprade oil rig. We've since lost contact."**

**"Let's hope he finds Dr. Damescu in time." admitted M, both Moneypenny and Tanner agree with their boss.**

**In a telescope-holding mast high above the top deck, a Navy Officer is on guard, now detecting something on his scope. He presses his intercom. "Bridge, mast tower. We have incoming traffic, over."**

**In the distance, a wave of speedboats are heading for the carrier.**

**-**

**The bridge inside the carrier is large while being compact, a huge amount of officers working at stations all around. The tough Captain hears the intercom transmission, heading over to the radar.**

**"Do we have them on radar?…" he asked.**

**The Radar Officer nodded. "Yes, Captain, six unidentified craft heading bearing port and starboard, incoming fast."**

**"Send a communicay," the Captain ordered. "Order them to identify themselves."**

**"No response, Captain." the Comms Officer in the corner replied, concerning the commander.**

**A moment passed, at which point a cocksure presence arrives in the form of Damian Falco, the tough CIA chief in his forties, a confident swagger masking a man good at his job. He approaches the Captain, asking "What the hell's goin' down?…"**

**"Trouble," declared the Captain. "Raise our defences, sound the general alarm and ready weapons."**

**Falco observes the radar and looks over at a subordinate crewman. "Get the British up here, now." he ordered.**

**-**

**The craft are a wave of black speedboats heading from both sides of the carrier, three on each side, filled with armed squads.**

**On a much bigger speedboat, Maximillian Malprade himself stands with Kai and Fai, clicking ready a machine gun rifle for immediate use.**

**POSEIDON SEA BASE, **

**SOUTH CHINA SEA**

**The ladder hatch bottom is kicked open by Bond, who jumps down into the room below, guiding Nadia down by the waist. "Where on Earth are we?…" she asked, surveying the surroundings.**

**"Below." Bond replied simply, seeing the room they'd landed in was a futuristic access room holding the lift, now abandoned. A stretch of multiple corridors are before them.**

**An entire underwater base beneath the oil rig is beyond.**

**007 and Nadia head into the corridors and are amazed to see they have huge windows showing the ocean all around, the base being massive.**

**"We're on the sea bed." Nadia realised. " A huge underwater base."**

**"For which that rig above must simply just be an access point." Bond declared.**

**Nadia didn't understand. "Why would Malprade have built this place?…"**

**"I doubt it's just for fishing." 007 quipped, heading carefully through the sea bed view corridor. Bond and Nadia begin to observe a guard presence hovering around a room in front. Keeping discreet, they watch the guards begin transporting crates of supplies.**

**"Looks like they're clearing out." Bond realised. "But, to where?…" wondered Nadia.**

**The guards head off down the corridor, allowing Bond and Nadia to enter the room ahead. The sight that greets them stuns both. "Oh, my God!…" exclaimed Nadia at the sight.**

**A huge chamber filled with cryogenic tanks holding an innumerable amount of test subjects in cloning experiments stretches out before them. Adjoining rooms and corridors stretch off at different points of the chamber, scientists and guards heading away with materials.**

**"This is incredible!…" declared an amazed Nadia. "There must be hundreds of people down here."**

**Bond nodded. "All guinea pigs in human cloning. I think now we know why Malprade built this place."**

**"We have to help these people." Nadia said, until Bond reminded her. "Let's help your father first."**

**007 headed off through the massive chamber, passing the multiple cryo-tubes as Nadia follows behind as she sees him heading off down a corridor where guards and scientists seem to be mainly heading.**

**She stops as she hears a struggle coming from a corridor the opposite way.**

**-**

**Bond traversed the corridor and came out to a massive pen area, holding a submarine at a sealed watery dock, next to a cargo facility. He removed his hi-tech binoculars and takes a closer look, seeing Vibert ordering the submarine be stocked with bio-materials.**

**A number of other guards are planting C4 explosives ready to detonate around the rest of the pen, overseen by Vibert. Around him are eight familiar-looking men and women, who Vibert is debriefing, all listening and being commanded like automotons.**

**All look exactly like the G8 world leaders. 007 nodded, beginning to understand everything. "Poseidon is complete." he declared, looking round concerned when he gets no response from who he believes is behind him.**

**"Nadia?…"**

**-**

**The sound of a struggle from a familiar voice is drawing Nadia into the corridor, her concern growing as she traverses a corridor from the clone chamber. She approaches a smaller cloning lab with one large cryo-tank which guards are now trying to force Arkady inside of.**

**He is struggling with all his might, breaking through as he sees Nadia enter. "My girl!…"**

**"Father!…" exclaimed a shocked Nadia, as, pushing past the guards, Arkady rushes toward her, stopping dead as he hears the click of a gun coming from the side.**

**Jacqual appears from the shadows holding a classic gun, which she fires at him, a bullet hitting Arkady square in the chest.**

**"No!…" shouted Nadia, the guards standing watching as she catches her father as he falls, bleeding profusely. She holds him in his arms as he gasps, reaches up to touch her face, and then dies. Nadia is left distraught at this, weeping loudly as Jacqual smiles.**

**The weeping grief soon turns to anger and Nadia lurches up towards the cocksure Jacqual, who points the gun straight at her. "Go ahead," she said. "Give me an excuse."**

**The anger barely stops Nadia, who freezes in front of the gun. "You bitch!…"**

**As Jacqual chuckles, Nadia's anger returns to sorrow and she drops her guard, weeping. Jacqual nods to the three guards, who move to grab Nadia. "Let her enjoy what was meant for her father."**

**The door suddenly opens and Bond enters with a jumping forward roll, firing expert gunshots at the three guards as he rolls. Just as he gets to his feet, Jacqual grabs Nadia and points the gun at her neck, smiling at seeing Bond aim his weapon at her.**

**He sees Arkady lying dead on the floor, a flicker of sadness crossing his face. He turns to Jacqual. "Let her go!…" he demanded.**

**Jacqual begins slowly inching back across the room onto one of four spherical areas. She drags Nadia tightly, painfully against her. 007 edges forward, becoming angrier.**

**"Let her go!…" he shouted, seeing Jacqual then inch onto the circular area, a glass panel shooting up around her and Nadia, becoming a futuristic lift. "James!…" she cried, the sound of her voice fading as the two women disappear into the floor.**

**At that exact moment, Bond sees the three other circle panel lifts shoot up, delivering extremely well-armed, armour protected guards. The three guards begin unloading a barrage of gunfire at him, he avoiding it by diving out through the door into the pen.**

**The gunfire is heard by the dozens of guards across the pen, who look up and see 007 dive out, landing on a top level. Vibert, shepherding his cloned world leaders into the submarine, sees Bond and grins.**

**"Get him!…" he bellowed. "Bring him to me!…"**

**From above, Bond dodges gunfire from the three armoured guards who appear behind him, running down the length of the corridor. He stops in a corner to put a new magazine into his gun, looking to see a floor lift deliver Jacqual and Nadia down by the sub.**

**Vibert briefly leers over Nadia before Jacqual carries her forcefully into the submarine, the clones having all now entered it. Realising what he must do, 007 sees a series of stairs leading into the cargo area and makes a dash for them across the corridor.**

**The guards on the cargo area all fire up at him with machine guns, bullets coming at Bond from all sides, he outrunning them. Reaching the stairwell, he dodges the gunfire and begins jumping down. He stops as guards begin coming up from the bottom.**

**Quickly, Bond dives off three flights from the bottom, landing in the cargo area, immediately diving behind cargo boxes. Vibert watches as the guards pummel gunfire into the cargo from where 007 tries to defend.**

**-**

**A small submarine, docked in the pen, most of the space now being filled by the G8 clones.**

**All watch as Jacqual drags in Nadia, pushing her into a seat, strapping her down with a slight hint of lesbian sexual thrill.**

**Nadia looks at her with hatred as Jacqual begins powering up the submarine to depart.**

**-**

**The final set of C4 explosives are set by several guards not far from the submarine, the timer beginning to count down. All three collapse as bullets hit them in the back from Bond's gun, he making a dash from behind the cargo boxes, shooting as he goes.**

**Bond runs toward the submarine as a barrage of gunfire comes in at him, Vibert standing nearby and watching with delight. "There's nowhere to run, Mr Bond!…" he growled.**

**The submarine's engine begins churning and the doors begin sealing up, doing so fully just as 007 arrives to get inside. The craft begins slowly heading for a sealed airlock, which opens up, allowing the submarine to glide through on it's way out the base.**

**Bond sees the doors starting to seal once more and after taking out a few more guards, dashes to the just set C4 explosives. He advances the timer to just ten seconds and legs it from gunfire, diving behind cargo boxes. He braces himself.**

**Vibert begins making a run for it the penny drops.**

**The explosives near the airlock doors explode hugely, blowing the doors off just as the submarine exits the base. The water from the ocean begins to cascade in the destroyed airlock, the guards all fearfully running for their lives.**

**Bond sees Vibert dive into a car on a base cargo rail track, speeding off and away, the railtrack doors starting to close. With all his might, 007 runs across the cargo bay as the water pours in behind, cascading towards him with extreme force.**

**He dives through the doors just as they seal, stopping the water. Bond lands in a second rail car, which he kicks into action, it soon careering down a huge tunneling section of railtrack devised for shipping cargo, filled with automated gun turrets lining the walls.**

**Bond flies through the track on his rail car, controlled with a joystick lever which either increases or decreases speed. The lever is hit for speed by Bond, who's car begins rapidly gaining on that used by Vibert, speeding through ahead of him.**

**The two cars begin to meet as the track begins dividing in two, Bond preparing to jump over onto Vibert's car to get the man. Vibert laughs as he reaches into the back and pulls out a machine gun as he swerves down an opposite track to the secret agent.**

**The two tracks are opposite a series of pillared walls, visible to each other. Vibert begins firing his gun through at Bond. The gun turrets lining the wall begin firing on cue, aiming square at 007's car as he speeds through, dodging bullets. He himself reaches into the back and pulls out a similar machine gun. Bond loads it ready and starts aiming at the gun turrets.**

**The turrets explode as Bond fires his bullets at them, blowing out before they can hurt him. Vibert keeps firing relentlessly. The two cars revert back to the same track, Vibert ahead with Bond right behind, the two channeling through a sea bed view tunnel.**

**The two stand up in their cars facing one another, firing huge barrages of ammunition at one another, the bullets almost colliding. Bond ducks but manages to get a round to hit Vibert square in the chest, he laughing as they bounce right off his bio-armour.**

**The laughter stops as Vibert runs out of ammo, dumps his machine gun aside and hits the lever stick for speed, he racing off. 007 stops firing and gives pursuit, not being able to catch up. He checks and sees he's only just a few bullets left. Then, Vibert presses a button on the rail car, which begins ejecting magnetic mines which lock on the track, ready to blow once intercepted.**

**Seeing them coming, Bond dumps the machine gun and frantically searches the back, pulling out a shotgun he clicks. "Lock'n'load." he quipped as the first mine rapidly approached with Vibert looking supremely confident, Bond aiming his shotgun and firing off a blast.**

**The mine explodes before the car can run over it, Bond safely getting through. He begins safely blowing up the mines in advance. Vibert uses his last mine and looks angry at seeing the mines exploding between the two cars, causing no damage to either.**

**Once all mines are cleared, 007 hits the gas further and his car hits the bumper of the first one, the two right up close. Bond aims his shotgun at Vibert, who turns and dives angrily over to the car behind, kicking the shotgun away as he does.**

**The two begin grappling dangerously on the car.**

**-**

**The flooded pen is filled with the dead bodies of floating guards and emptied cargo, not to mention explosives.**

**The rest of the C4 explodes at it's set time, the pen raging with fire, blowing off the doors to the rail track.**

**The water begins cascading it extremely quickly.**

**-**

**As they grapple, Bond and Vibert feel the explosion a few miles behind them. The distant sight of a barrage of water tunneling through becomes clear.**

**"The end is near, Bond." roared Vibert.**

**Bond quipped. "There's always a light at the end of the tunnel."**

**Vibert, now holding Bond now with the sheer power of his size, turns to where the secret agent looks. The end of the tunnel track is approaching, the doors opening to reveal red light coming from the base power core.**

**Bond and Vibert grapple as they see the first car speed through and fly off the edge of the track with an electric burst, into the massive power core, a gigantic machine just under the sea bed, between the ocean and molten lava which provides energy.**

**The cargo rail track is positioned around it spherically, connected to automatic lifts that can carry people and cargo up onto the machine. The first car plunges down from the track and explodes inside the molten lava below.**

**In the second rail car, as the water rapidly gains, Bond kicks the joystick lever and the car breaks as it enters the power core. The sudden breaking stops the car at the edge, 007 holding onto the sides, while Vibert is flung off with the braking force.**

**The track doors seal behind them, again protecting them from the water now filling the tunnel.**

**As he flies off, Vibert grabs onto the edge of one of the automated lifts with one hand, swinging himself up onto it, activating it. 007 watches the lift begin carrying Vibert up onto the power core control port on the roof of the machine, the centrepoint.**

**The rail car begins gliding at slow pace around the circular track, Bond now searching the back of it for any weaponry. The automated lift delivers Vibert onto the control port, where he turns a lever on a pipe extending into the lava, which steams with energy.**

**It churns up fiery power into a flamethrower gun that rests nearby, which Vibert grabs with all his might and points to the track. Bond finds no weapons left as he looks up and sees Vibert grin, before shooting a ray of fire out towards the track.**

**Hitting the lever, Bond speeds the car away as the fire impacts the track behind him, roaring with flame. Vibert fires another blast. The car increases speed as it heads around the track, avoiding Vibert's fire rays only just, he beginning to get more on target.**

**"Hot under the collar, Mr Bond?…" he bellowed, Bond seeing Vibert's delight in the weapon he uses and suddenly sees the button on his own car to release mines.**

**He waits until he gets near a strut locking down an automated lift, planting the mine. A fiery burst explodes it.**

**The lift extends outward ready to be used, Bond speeding the car back around to it and jumping on as Vibert hits the car with fire. It explodes, Bond already activating the lift, which glides towards the control port. Vibert begins turning his huge weapon.**

**007 jumps from the lift up onto the control port, kicking away the flamethrower as Vibert shoots a fire ray at him. The secret agent unleashes fists and kicks at Vibert, only slightly winding and not hurting him. He enjoys seeing Bond give his all.**

**Once Bond stops seeing it's futile, Vibert grins. "My turn."**

**The man mountain begins unleashing punches and kicks that seriously begin hurting Bond, drawing blood on parts of his body. He tries fighting back but Vibert puts him down, laughing. He picks up Bond by his neck and proceeds to dangle him over the edge of the control port, the molten lava far below.**

**Vibert laughed. "Time to go to hell, 007." He goes to drop Bond, who sees the flamethrower lying nearby, he managing to kick it with his feet. The flamethrower turns and unleashes a backdraft of hot air which blasts Vibert over the edge, causing Bond to drop with him.**

**007 grabs the edge of the machine with dear life, seeing Vibert roar with fear as he plunges through the air into the molten lava. The secret agent climbs back onto the port and sees the lava bubbling below.**

**"Hope it's warm enough for you, Marlin." Bond said, then turning his attention to the flamethrower and aims it upwards, at the earth ceiling just a few metres above.**

**He fires a blast, blowing a hole through the earth, causing water from the ocean to begin blasting through.**

**Bond climbs the machine and begins forcing his way through the oncoming surge of water in order to reach the sea above. As he does so, the huge doors from the railtrack burst with water, which starts cascading hugely into the power core.**

**The huge several mile long Poseidon base explodes as the C4 fully makes it's mark, the construction blowing itself apart.**

**A shockwave is felt by Bond as he swims away from the exposed earth under him holding the power core, earth exploding outward. He goes to make for sea level, but soon sees the submarine rapidly approaching him, it's front opening and swallowing him.**

**-**

**The slinky form of Jacqual walks into the forward cargo section as the front closes up, water draining out back into the sea.**

**Bond lies on the floor somewhat dazed from the exposure to water, off his guard as he sees Jacqual slink her way over to him.**

**"Welcome aboard, 007." she said.**

**As Bond goes to get up, Jacqual kicks him in the face, he falling unconscious……**


	7. Chapter Six, South China Sea II

_**007: Eye of the Serpent**_

**AIRCRAFT CARRIER U.S.S. WASHINGTON,**

**SOUTH CHINA SEA.**

**The US Naval aircraft carrier has been fully hijacked, the swathe of black enemy speedboats patrolling it as it heads through the water.**

**The expansive bridge deck is now under full enemy control, guards holding guns to most of the crewmen in the area.**

**Maximillian Malprade smiles with a cold-blooded grin as hetwirls the hat of the Captain in his hands, the man lying dead from a gunshot wound. **

**He approaches the core of the bridge, where stand the taken-hostage M, Damian Falco, Moneypenny and Bill Tanner, facing down guns held by Kai and Fai, who Malprade purrs over as he stands toe to toe with the intelligence staff.**

**"You won't get away with this, you ****sonofabitch," barked the quite fearless Falco."Our governments will ****hunt you down wherever you go."**

**Malprade simply sneered slightly, as he paced around the bridge somewhat theatrically while the spy chiefs watched him. "Your governments will be in no ****position to hunt anyone, unless I ****deem fit."**

**"What is it you hope to achieve by ****all this, Malprade?..." asked M, in her usual authoritative, disapproving tone of voice.**

**"Finally, a question worth answering," replied Malprade, seeming pleased at her defiance. "****I hope to complete Poseidon, the ****project that will change the face ****of the world."**

**"I was under the impression Poseidon ****was about saving the world." M countered, trying to trip the megalomaniac up, a game both Moneypenny and Tanner thought was a dangerous one to play, though Falco quietly applauded her bravery.**

**"Saving it from itself." said Malprade, breaking into what he viewed as a sermon. "The world of ****today is decadent. Governments get ****away with endless corruption, ****terrorists slaughter innocent lives, ****and for what?. Does anything change?."**

**M saw no reason to halt this battle of ideology. "Some terrorists would say they do what ****they do out of religion."**

**Malprade scoffed loudly, growing anger inside his cold-blooded shell "Religion?. What has religion ever ****brought the world, but strife?. The ****people have lost faith. I intend of ****giving it them back..."**

**The radar console then begins to beep and Malprade heads over andsees what it displays, smiling. "****Ah, good, they're here. Now, we can ****begin our business."**

**The supervillain moved once again to face M and Falco, to complete his sermon. "****I will do the work that God neglected ****to finish. I will show the world a ****future they never thought possible."**

**With haste, Malprade heads on out of the bridge, trailed by Kai and Fai. The intelligence chiefs are left concerned at the mercy of hijacker gunmen.**

**The top deck holds a wave of patrolling security, along with a sleek Malprave Industries private jet plane near the edge.**

**Malprade appears at the starboard edge with Kai and Fai, watching delighted as the submarine raises to periscope depth at the side. ****The hatch opens and Jacqual climbs out of the submarine, stepping onto the top deck, approaching a delighted Malprade.**

**She sees him remove his face mask for all it's glory, but we don't see his deformity. Jacqual kisses him with momentary passion.**

**"You have brought me gifts, my beautiful ****creature?..." Malprade asked.**

**Jacqual smiled with a nod. "The two you most wanted."**

**"And what of Vibert?..." asked Malprade, realising instantly what had happened when Jacqual's ****sadistic smile turns to a frown, she shaking her head.**

**Malprade nods, a well of disappointed anger within him. He covers this quickly. "****It no longer matters. My...****our...****brave new world is about to be born."**

**Delighted to hear this, Jacqual's gleeful smile returns as Kai and Fai lead both she and Malprade back into their hijacked ship.**

**A large brig in the bowels of the carrier, filled with cramped cells for prisoners of war or court martialled officers, inside of which Bond****slowly comes out of his unconsciousness and finds himself lying on a bench in such a brig, Nadia standing facing him. "****James, it's me." she reassured him.**

**Sitting up with a groan,007 sees a plain glass door stands between them and two armed guards standing watch outside. He****begins examining the lock.**

**"I tried the door, it won't budge." Nadia admitted, keeping her voice low so as only Bond, but not the guards, would hear her.**

**"Looks like an electronic lock."said Bond, assuredly."We'd ****need to short out the system. Where ****the hell are we?..."**

**Nadia surveyed their surroundings. "On a ship, I think. Malprade is here."**

**Hearing this, Bond turns to her away from the lock, about to question her further. ****He is distracted when the door to the brig opens and he sees M, Falco, Moneypenny and Tanner beingforced inside at the gunpoint of the nasty guards.**

**Malprade strolls in with his trusty cane behind them, Kai and Fai standing loyally behind. "****Welcome to my new palace, Mr Bond," he said, with relish. "****I trust the accomodation is to your ****liking?..."**

**"I feel right at home." Bond quipped, leading Malprade to smile.**

**"Good, because you'll be seeing a ****lot more of it." the villain declared. "And as much as I'd ****love to join you, I have plans of ****my own."**

**Bond nodded understanding. "It seems you enjoy collecting ships ****as much as you do underwater bases, ****Malprade."**

**"Ah, you mean my cloning facility." replied Malprade, now the one understanding. "****Superfluous now, I'm afraid. I do ****hope you left it suitably grounded, i****t'll save me the job later."**

**007snorts a grimace as he sees Malprade face Nadia through the cell glass. "****My dear, Nadia. I was so sorry to ****hear about your father, he was a ****remarkable man."**

**"Until you had him killed." a bitter Nadia reminded him. Malprade smiled. "****Don't worry, my sweet, it won't be ****long before you see him again."**

**Nadia fixes him a hated glare as Malprade flounces over to where M and Falco stand. Seeing them leads Bond to realise exactly where he is.**

**Malprade looked over at the secret agent. "Now, if you'll excuse me, Mr Bond, ****there's a whole world out there ****that needs my urgent attention."**

**He turns to the two brig guards, motioning towards Tanner and Moneypenny. "****Put the two of them in the third ****brig room."**

**The guards do as ordered and begin carrying off Tanner and Moneypenny, who lends Bond a worried glare, he giving her a secure nod as ****Malprade turns back to M and FALCO. "****I wish for the two of you to****witness my supremacy."**

**He heads away with Kai and Fai as M and Falco are moved out at gunpoint. ****The door seals leaving Bond and Nadia alone in the cell, out of any earshot. "****Where are we, James?..." she asked.**

**"We're on an aircraft carrier, United ****States Navy." Bond replied with confidence. "He must have hijacked it ****somehow. And I now know why."**

**Nadia looks at him for explanation, Bond talking as he further examines the lock. "****This ship is on it's way to Hong ****Kong, carrying the members of the ****G8 summit, the leaders of the free ****world and the eight major global****industrial powers."**

**The truth suddenly dawned on Nadia. "He's cloned them, hasn't he?..."**

**Bond nodded. "Undoubtedly the object of Poseidon, ****which would explain Botanicon ****gathering eight DNA samples of ****world powers. Malprade must be ****planning to replace the real G8 ****members at the summit with his clones."**

**"Effectively giving him control of ****the world." deduced Nadia, who couldn't help but be a little nauseatingly impressed by the scope of his plan.**

**"Hmmm." said Bond, thinking as he continued with the lock. "Something just doesn't add up ****though. He could have replaced those ****clones anywhere quietly, he didn't ****have to personally hijack a major ****US aircraft carrier."**

**"You think he has another objective?..." asked Nadia, wondering what it could be as Bond nodded at the possibility. "****Maybe. We need to get out of here. ****But, we're not getting through this ****lock on this side of the door."**

**"Then how are we going to get out o****f here?..." Nadia enquired, noticing 007 suddenly getting a brainwave.**

**In the third brig cell room, the guards electronically seal Moneypenny and Tanner into their cell, the two looking worried at their imprisonment.**

**The two guards return to the main area, only to see Nadia looking disturbed at the fact her male companion has now disappeared.**

**"Where did he go?..." the guard barked. Nadia shook her head innocently. "****I don't know. He wen't through a ****panel in the ceiling."**

**Nadia points up at the ceiling of her cell, soon seeing the guards carefully moving over, one of them unlocking the door. ****The guards enter, looking up at where Nadia points, seeing no ceiling panel. They do see the hollow outline of a figure.**

**It is Bond, using his stealth shield. He suddenly kicks one of the guard in the head, jumping down from the ceiling he hangs on. ****The second guard watches confused as the invisible Bond punches the living daylights out of the first guard into the middle of the brig.**

**As he falls down unconscious, the second guard looks confused until Nadia swirls him around and knocks him out with a punch. "****Nice work." he said, impressed, at which point he ****deactivates his stealth shield and his body decloaks before Nadia. "****I can fight when I want to." she replied with a little smile.**

**Picking up the machine rifles from the two guards,007 loads them ready and throws one at Nadia, who catches it a little unsteadily. **

**"Good." he said. "And make sure you stay with ****me this time."**

**Bond heads around to the third brig, Nadia following. ****Moneypenny and Tanner look relieved to see them, as Bond unlocks the cell door. "****James!..." Moneypenny said, delighted.**

**"We don't have much time. Where's ****M?..." Bond said, matter-of-factly. Tanner replied. "****He must have taken her to the bridge, t****hat's where he captured us."**

**Bond nodded. "Get yourselves to safety, stay out ****of sight." **

**Hehands Tanner his smaller gun, as he goes to head off with Nadia, hearing Moneypenny call him. "****Be careful, James."**

**007 gave her a reassuring look andheaded out with Nadia.**

**The US Navy officers who survived the hijacking assault have been lined up on the port edge of the ship, all with hands above heads. ****Guards hold them at gunpoint nearKai and Fai, behind Malprade, now pacing up and down before the frightened officers.**

**"You men are standing on the edge of ****history." he declared.**

**A screen is relaying the speech to mesmerised guards on the large bridge. ****M and Falco are there under guard, knowing it's for their benefit.**

**Malprade continued. "You are about to play a part in the ****creation of something so much greater ****than has ever been before. Greater ****than your beloved US of A, greater ****than the so-called Great Britain, as g****reat as the world itself. The ****creation of a God."**

**His followers look on in awe as Malprade paces up and down, addressing the men. "****Can God not giveth and taketh away?. ****Can he not mould man into his own i****mage?. Did he not promise us a good ****world?. And did he keep his promise?..." he asked rhetorically. "****The answer is yes. He gave the world ****the eye of the serpent, to shape****into his own fashion. I am that ****serpent. And this will be my world."**

**Malprade turns towards where the camera relaying onto the bridge screen lies, theatrically. "****And no matter of CIA's, MI6's or ****007's, can stop the will of God."**

**With that, Malprade turns and takes a machine gun from one of the guards. ****He loads it, turns and fires straight at the Navy officers, a cold-blooded streak running through the man as the men are murdered. ****The officers all collapse into the ocean after the barrage of bulletfire, Malprade returning the weapon to the guard. ****He addresses Kai and Fai, unfazed by the horror.**

**"Have them fished out. The men will ****need their uniforms." he declared, Kai and Fai nodding understanding before heading off.**

**Malprade looks up at the camera coldly, before heading off. **

**On the bridge, ****the guards look in awe at the events, while M has her eyes closed solemnly, while Falco holds his head in his hands.**

**The bland lower deck corridors are now filled with assault guards fitting on the fished out US Navy uniforms. ****Bond and Nadia observe this as they discreetly head through.**

**"What are they doing?..." she wondered aloud.**

**Bond had figured out what they were up to. "It's a trick. They'll pose as the ****US Navy to make sure the clones get ****into the summit."**

**As the guards head on past,007 observes a huge electronic door. "****Door to the cargo bay. We need to ****get in there."**

**"It has an electronic lock." Nadia said, after checking. "Not like ****the one in the brig, more advanced. ****I'm more at home with advanced ****technology, I might be able to get ****around it."**

**"You'll need a distraction." Bond realised. "Let's see ****what the invisible man can do,****shall we?..."**

**Bond touches the stealth shield on his belt, turning him invisible. The outline of him is seen to run off down the corridor. ****Nadia stays out of sight, keeping track of the guards.**

**The invisible007 runs around a corner from where the guards are fitting their new US Navy uniforms on, tapping the wall. ****The guards hear the noise, but do nothing. The tapping is heard again, the guards looking over. The stealth Bond then runs across their vision. ****As they question what it was they saw, the guards head in it's direction, leaving the cargo bay door unguarded.**

**Nadia quickly rushes toward the electronic panel, getting to work.**

**Around the corner, the stealth Bond finishes off beating up the guards and decloaks, seeing them lumped in a pile on the corridor. "****Terrible what rubbish can pile up." he quipped.**

**Bond goes to head down the corridor, until a kick in the head from Fai appearing above knocks him to the ground painfully. "****Don't take the garbage out yet." she quipped back.**

**At that exact moment, Nadia gets the door to electronically unlock, only for Kai to appear from inside and pull her in.**

**On the floor of the corridor, Bond sees Fai begin approaching him with a nunchuka attached to a piece of wire. ****Shethrows the wire and the nunchuka circles it's way through the air, Bond rolling out of the way as it slices the floor by him.**

**In the ventilation room preceeding the cargo bay holding a powered-down fan, Nadia is being repeatedly kicked by Kai. ****She employs powerful martial arts skills as she pummels Nadia across the room, Kai getting a clear enjoyment out of doing so.**

**In the corridor, Bond runs to avoid the wire-nunchukas being wielded by Fai, which slice into the wall and into piping. ****Ducking them, Bond attempts to kick the legs from under Fai, but she jumps and kicks him in the face, momentarily knocking him down.**

**In the ventilation room, Nadia continues being kicked across the room. Fai roundhouses repeatedly, Nadia forced towards the far door.**

**In the corridor,007 finds himself cornered up a wall by a delighted Fai. ****She laughs before slicing a nunchuka towards him, Bond ducking as it hits the wall behind. He pulls it out and flings it back. ****The nunchuka impales Fai, killing her instantly.**

**The death is clearly sensed by Kai in the ventilation room, she suddenly stopping her attack. "****Fai!..." she whispered, disturbed.**

**Nadia is given the chance to kick a lever on the wall that controls the fan. ****She grabs hold of a nearby rail for dear life as the fan rapidly starts up, Kai jumping onto Nadia's feet as the wind raises her. ****Sheholds on tight as the wind reaches a massive power level, Kai screaming as she begins losing her grip on Nadia's legs. ****The grip is lost and Kai is flung in the fan for a bloody death.**

**The fan clogs up from the human entry, the wind dying down fully as Bond enters the room, seeing a bruised Nadia on the floor. "****What happened?..." he asked.**

**"It was Kai. She attacked me." Nadia replied, feeling her tender bruises.**

**Bond looked over to the fan. "Hmmm. It must cut her up to have lost." he quipped as he helped up Nadia and****they grabbed their guns, heading into the cargo bay.**

**A massive cargo deck isfilled with security guards milling around a high-containment section of US nuclear missiles being stored. ****The G8 world leader clones are standing around the missiles with Jacqual, who is stroking them with a strange fetish.**

**She observes Malprade approach, guards standing to attention. He begins addressing her and the clones by the missiles. ****From above, a discreet watching007 and Nadia view.**

**"Nuclear missiles." Bond realised, seeing what he saw. Nadia was shocked. "****You think he's after a nuclear w****eapon. If he wants to control the ****world, why would he want to blow ****it up?..."**

**"God works in mysterious ways." quipped Bond as he and Nadia watch Malprade finish speaking and step aside as the ****clone of the US President approaches the missile and begins to unlock the clamps on the missile with a hand, retinal and voice program.**

**The passwords all begin to be passed by the clone, Malprade looking very proud. Bond nodded. "****Very clever. A US President on tap to ****just hand over his nuclear arsenal."**

**Nadia hears his words and looks disturbed, she and Bond continuing to watch. ****They see Malprade clap as the missile is released and Jacqual begins carrying it away with a number of guards in tow.**

**"My prophets." he said, addressing them. "Our time has come to ****have dominion over this planet. We ****will create the future together."**

**The clones all bow respectfully like sheep, watching as Malprade walks off. ****Bond and Nadia see him have a guard escort as he heads up a series of staircases.**

**"I have to stop him taking that ****missile." Bond declared, as Nadia added. "****I'll keep track of the missile. I ****have something personal to finish ****on that score."**

**Bond touched her hand tenderly. "Be careful."**

**Nadia smiled her thanks as she saw 007 activate his stealth shield, runningoff down the corridor to the staircase.**

**Nadia keeps watch as Jacqual carries the missile away, she giving cautious pursuit.**

**On the bridge, M and Falco watch as Malprade makes a typical grande entrance. ****Enraged, Falco goes to get him, but guards stick guns in his neck. "****You murdering bastard!..." he bellowed.**

**"Falco, don't!..." M said strongly.**

**Malprade just smiled smugly. "Listen to her, Mr Falco, I wouldn't ****want to have to spare my guards the ****enjoyment of killing you themselves."**

**"You're insane." Falco declared.**

**"No. I am a visionary." Malprade countered. "I see a so much ****better future with one person in ****control, to guide humanity's destiny."**

**"And that person has to be you?..." asked M.**

**"Am I not worthy?..." replied Malprade, genuinely seeking an answer. "Have I not spared ****you the indignity of a firing squad?..."**

**Neither M or Falco answer, out of disgust. This displeases Malprade. "****I see my generosity was in vein," he turned to the guards. "You ma****y kill them now."**

**Malprade steps aside, hands behind his back as the guards raise their weapons. ****A stealth shadow appears nearby and one guard notices this, too late to prevent the shadow decloaking into Bond and kicking him. 007 ****lands, shooting the guards in a brief firefight he overcomes. He aims towards Malprade, already halfway out the bridge door with fast agility.**

**He lets him go, approaching M and Falco. "****Well done, Bond." she said. Falco added. "****Yeah, thanks. That guy's nuts."**

**"Are you alright?..." asked Bond, really addressing M before the American, who answered first. "****Sure, apart from the fact he just ****slaughtered fifteen innocent men."**

**M nodded at the question. "He's still on course for the summit."**

**"I know what he's planning." Bond declared, the chiefs instantly interested. "He's c****loned the G8 members and has used ****them to steal a nuclear missile."**

**Falco was confused. "Why the hell's he need a nuke?..."**

**Bond shook his head, not having all the answers. "I don't know, but we need to blow ****up this aircraft carrier, now. We ****can't let his clones reach Hong ****Kong."**

**"Wait a minute, blow up the ship?..." Falco exclaimed, incredulously. "****I think you're out of your mind too, ****Bond."**

**"It's either that or Malprade wins. ****Your choice." declared Bond sternly, at which point Falco looked over at M, who backed up her agent with a nod. The CIA chief ****concedes with a shrug.**

**"Is there a self-destruct?..." Bond asked, seeing Falco quickly ****head over to a computer panel and bring up a self-destruct program. "****How long?..."**

**Bond spent about a second considering a response. "Ten minutes," he said. "That should give us ****enough time to get away ourselves."**

**"And Malprade?..." asked M, with concern. Bond clicked his rifle ready as he spoke with a dark tone. "****I'll deal with Malprade."**

**M smiles proudly with discretion at her best agent.**

**The US nuclear missile is carried out onto the top deck by Jacqual and the guards, carefully moved towards the private jet. ****Malprade, now holding a machine gun, appears on the top deck and faces Jacqual. "****What is it?..." she asked.**

**"Bond has escaped." he announced with concern. "We must leave now."**

**The two head towards the jet as Nadia watches them from a discreet position. ****She is seething with anger, pointing her gun with a clear shot at Jacqual, trying to pull the trigger but finds she cannot do it. ****Shethrows the gun away in disappointed anger and quickly avoids the sight of guards, making her way under the jet. ****Once under, she withdraws a small tracking device and plants it on the underside, dashing away before she can be noticed.**

**On the other side, Jacqual is slowly making sure the missile safely enters the jet cargo area, before entering the jet.**

**After taking one last look around, Malprade goes to enter, but sees Bond emerging in the distance with M and Falco.**

**"Kill them!..." he bellowed at the guards, who snap ****into action on his order, Malprade entering the jet and sealing the door.**

**On the far side of the deck, Bond sees the guards rushing toward them and he provides covering fire, Falco joining him in grabbing a gun. ****M rushes over towards a helicopter where Tanner and Moneypenny already are. ****Bond and Falco unleash a barrage of bullets into the oncoming guards. The former sees the jet preparing to take off. "****There's too many of them!..." he declared.**

**"Get in the chopper!..." Bond shouted as he ****quickly makes a dash down the carrier deck runway, using his stealth.**

**Falco calls after him until he heads to the helicopter, getting into the front being able to pilot, M, Tanner and Moneypenny inside.**

**The guards all see Bond running invisible and gun at him, disabling his stealth ability as he runs his fastest toward the jet. ****Nadia helps him out by shelling guards from a security mounted gatling gun. ****The jet begins slowly starting to take off as Bond runs toward it.**

**The interior of the plush jet holds guards holding the real G8 members hostage. Jacqual sits observing Malprade look out the back.**

**He angrily sees007 running like lightning through a field of gunfire to catch them.**

**The jet takes off with a burst of energy, heading off into the skies above the South China Sea, away from the carrier.**

**Bond stops and curses as he sees it get away. He turns to see Nadia approach him as the helicopter swoops in, Falco piloting. ****Guards run firing weapons toward them as M sticks her head out. "****Get inside, Bond!" she shouted, to no avail.**

**"I have to stop Malprade!" he replied, getting a stern response from Falco. "****There's no time for this heroic ****crap, Bond, this ships gonna blow!..."**

**Nadia then added to the argument. "Let's go James, I put a tracking signal on his jet, we can follow him."**

**Bond shook his head. "We may be too late by then."**

**Hetouches Nadia's face tenderly and proceeds to run off across the deck. "****James, wait!..." she called after him, terrified for his safety. **

**"Come on!..." M shouted to her as she ****pulls Nadia inside and the helicopter takes off into the skies as guards close in.**

**On the bridge, the self-destruct counts down it's last 15 seconds.**

**Avoiding gunfire, Bond races toward a US Navy fighter plane on the top deck. ****He jumps inside, fitting on the helmet and powering the craft up, using it's guns to shell the guards closing in before him. ****Hehits the afterburner and the jet begins flying off down the runway.**

**The self-destruct timer reaches zero on the bridge.**

**The massive explosion blows up the cargo bay, killing the clone world leaders.**

**The fighter plane races across the runway as the ship explodes behind it, massive blasts threatening to swallow it up.**

**Bond takes off at the last second, the plane heading off into the sky as the aircraft carrier explodes in a gigantic blast.**

**The US Navy fighter plane races off into the sky, 007 inside determined not to let the world be destroyed by the man who would be God...**


	8. Chapter Seven, Switzerland

_**007: Eye of the Serpent**_

**MALPRADE'S ALPINE PALACE,**

**SWITZERLAND.**

**A visage of soft purple morning daylight swamps the Suisse Alps, the snow-covered peaks towering over the landscape.**

**At the heart of the vista, an elegant Alpine Palace exists, a futuristic mansion of beauty resting between two isolated mountains. ****A private runway area preceeds the Palace, a runway on which the jet has now made it's landing, a flank of security surrounding it.**

**Maximillian Malprade, buoyed by supreme confidence, steps off the jet and braces himself for the cold, obviously reacting to the low temperature. ****He calms himself by seeing Jacqual emerge from the back with the nuclear missile as guards drag off the real world leaders.**

**Malprade faces them, looking disgusted. "****You have wasted this world. Your p****redecessors will be instructed to ****do right by it. They will do as you ****should have done. They will put****your names in history."**

**He nods and the world leaders are carried away by the guards. "Take them down with the missile." Malprade ordered.**

**Hesees them go while guards carry the missile off into a subterranean tunnel. ****Jacqual joins him and he once again removes his mask, this time his reptilian genes seen in all their horrific glory as they kiss. ****Malprade watches her touch his face, amazed.**

**"How do you live like this?..." she asked, tenderly. Malprade found it hard to feel emotion, but with her his senses momentarily overcame the cold-bloodedness within. "****With difficulty," he responded. "But, I worship my ****difference. Soon, so will the world. ****Come, let me show you the world I ****created here."**

**Almost giddily, Malprade leads Jacqual offinto the Palace, the entrance holding****a huge towering study the size of a ballroom, filled with exquisite furnishings and artistry. ****The window is a specially created portrait of Malprade with his hands touching the world, beyond it a view of the entire Alps. ****Heleads Jacqual by the hand into the gargantuan study, she looking amazed at the window frame.**

**"What do you think?. Magnificent, i****sn't it?..." he asked, proudly, enjoying Jacqual's emotional reaction. "****The window. I've never seen anything ****like it." she admitted.**

**Malprade nodded, knowing it was unique. "It took two years to complete. And ****yet it will take not much more than ****two seconds to destroy."**

**Jacqual looks at him horrified, at which point Malprade explains himself. "****You see, I always enjoyed the irony ****of this place. It was a palace built ****on the ice, within the very atmosphere ****most abhorrent to me. I spent so long ****searching for a way to destroy that ****within me that made me so different, ****up on this mountain, that I forgot ****what life was. I forgot how much my t****echnology, my genius, could do for ****the world. I knew that once I had ****completed my work, begun to help the ****human race share my difference, that ****this beautiful monstrosity must be ****wiped from the face of the Earth."**

**She shook her head. "But, it is so wonderful."**

**"Fear not, my sweet Jacqual."Malprade said. "We will ****build ourselves a new palace, together." He****takes her hand and kisses it, the horrific reptile deformity clear.He**** presses a button on a desk, the top revolving to reveal a control panel of buttons which control all sorts of technology.**

**Malprade presses a button on the panel and guides Jacqual to the window, both looking out to the forefront runway area. ****The jet begins to move aside as the runway itself begins opening up vertically, revealing a silo below holding a huge rocket.**

**Magnetically clamped to the rocket are the terrified world leaders.**

**"The missile is being inserted inside ****that rocket as we speak, ready to be ****primed for detonation." Malprade announced. "In one swoop, ****we will wipe out the old, to bring in t****he new." ****Heactivates a timer program device on the panel to activate the missile. ****He beckons Jacqual toward it.**

**"The honour is yours."Malprade declared with glee. "Go ahead, begin ****your destiny."**

**Overawed by events, Jacqual moves over to the panel and programs a 15 minute countdown into the timer device. ****She smiles at her twisted lover as she activates the detonation sequence. ****She thentakes Malprade's hand by the window, both looking out to the exposed missile silo as the detonation sequence is loudly announced.**

**Looking out closer at the purple Alpine sky, Malprade begins to see a dot rapidly closing in from the distance at great speed.**

**"What is it?..." a concerned Jacqual asks as Malprade ****grabs binoculars and looks out the window, seeing the US Navy fighter plane flying in at rapid speed toward the Palace. ****He throws them angrily aside as Jacqual sees the plane only seconds away.**

**"It's Bond." he says with a cold anger.**

**The fighter plane flies on a kamikaze collision course directly into the Palace, slowing down slightly as it flies in. ****Guards machine gun the plane as the pilot ejects from it and it crashes through the portrait window and wall, into the study.**

**Malprade drags Jacqual quickly into a lift which channels them up into the Palace, as the fighter plane crashes through and explodes.**

**The foundations of the Palace are rocked by the huge explosion, which blasts out the very front, killing a massive wave of guards. ****The pilot of the destroyed plane, James Bond, parachutes down from the sky after ejecting, landing on the slightly jagged, snowy roof.**

**007looks down into the runway forecourt where the missile silo hatch is now slowly beginning to close, guards milling about. ****Four US Army helicopter gunships appear over the mountain rise and begin shelling guards, dropping armed assault teams into battle.**

**Nadia Damescuis on one of the gunships, seen to drop down and head into the closing silo as a huge gunfire battle takes place above. ****On the roof, Bond observes this with pleasure, until he hearsthe familiar voice of his nemesis Malprade. ****"Nice of you to drop in, Mr Bond." **

**Bond turns around, only to see Malprade and Jacqual emerge from a lift across the roof. ****He begins running towards them, diving to dodge a wave of security ordered to get him as Malprade and Jacqual head off down the roof.**

**007dives across the roof, rolling down it's slightly sloping edge, avoiding the gunfire that is pummeled down by the guards.**

**The roof hatch of the silo automatically finishes closing up as Nadia gets inside, scaling the staircase surrounding the large rocket.**

**Shesees the world leaders magnetically strapped to the side of the rocket, observing this with concern as she reaches the bottom. ****Shefinds a panel that allows her to expose the nuclear missile lodged inside the rocket, observing the timer reaching 10 minutes.**

**Nadia sighs with concern, getting to work.**

**The bullets fly in from all sides towards Bond as he finishes rolling down the sloping roof, falling of the edge. ****He lands on a clump of snow in front of a wall, only slightly bruising himself. A massive gunfire battle takes place on the runway.**

**007gets up, only to face a guard holding a bazooka rifle he aims at him. ****The guard is shot by a US assault team member before he can fire a missile. Bond salutes his thanks at the US officer, then noticing Malprade****and Jacqual descending from the snowyroof with a huge guard escort, heading towards the jet just on the side of the ****runway.**

**Bond dives bulletfire and grabs the bazooka rifle, taking aim. ****The jet explodes hugely as a missile impacts it, blowing up a large amount of guards and slightly fazing Malprade and Jacqual, who ****turn angrily to see Bond smile at them, aiming his bazooka and blowing away guards taking on the US officers.**

**"Let me stop him!..." exclaimed a furious Jacqual, motioning to get him.**

**Malprade stopped her dead. "No, I'll deal with 007. You take care ****of his ally."**

**Malprade points his cane at a silo passageway where Nadia is visible inside. ****Jacqual kisses him and rushes off into the tunnel, leaving Malprade to run off towards the smouldering interior of his Palace. ****Seeing him,007 throws aside the bazooka and proceeds to pursue.**

**The panel exposing the inner workings of the missile is fiddled with by Nadia, frantically seeing the timer reach 5 minutes.**

**She hears someone behind her, turning to see Jacqual kick her hard in the face. "****Time for your family reunion." she cursed.**

**The smouldering interior is a shadow of the grande splendour it used to be, much of the inside destroyed, smoking rubble everywhere. ****Malprade runs through the rubble, enjoying seeing Bond try catching him, using the destroyed palace to create obstacles.**

**"There's nowhere to run, Malprade." shouted Bond. "****It's all over."**

**"I don't have to run, Mr Bond." Malprade replied, a somewhat insane tone coming from his lips. "The w****orld is now mine."**

**Laughing like a maniac, Malprade continues running, heading for his study. ****Determined to get him, Bond keeps pursuing.**

**The fight is brutal, Jacqual using her attacking skill to pummel Nadia.**

**"I enjoyed killing your father." Jacqual announced. "I ****never thought killing you would be ****even more of a thrill."**

**The kicking and punching continues, Jacqual keeping Nadia on the floor. ****The world leaders watch, disturbed.**

**Jacqual laughed at her opponent. "****Come on, are you going to make t****his easy for me?. Don't you have ****revenge in mind?. Don't you want to ****see me suffer?..."**

**A scream of anger bursts through Nadia, who jumps up and unleashes a right hook. ****The punch knocks Jacqual to the side, drawing blood. She licks the blood, laughing as she sees Nadia braced ready to fight, a steely look on her face.**

**"I'm ready to fight you." she said.**

**Jacqual smiled a broad, twisted smile. "Good. Now, we're getting somewhere."**

**The two women begin brawling, Nadia and Jacqual matching each other in a tough battle. ****The two women draw blood from each other, the rage welling through Nadia as she pummels Jacqual, seemingly possessed by vengeance itself.**

**Suddenly, Jacqual turns the fighting style on, slamming Nadia back onto a metallic panel by the wall in a fierce roundhouse kick. ****The device holds the magnetic clamps secure. It triggers them to release, the world leaders getting free of the rocket.**

**"Get out of here!..." she shouted at the captured politicians, who****begin running for the exit tunnel, at which pointJacqual turns, pulling out a machine gun, running closer to the rocket. She****stands by the rocket and aims her gun at the fleeing leaders, laughing.**

**Quickly, Nadia turns and slams the device behind her. The magnetic clamps activate as Jacqual realises, her gun flung to the rocket. ****Holding it, Jacqual is flung onto it, the clamps sealing her in extremely tight. She tries to wriggle free.**

**Nadia heads over to where she's trapped and says. "Laugh your way out of this." before ****knocking Jacqual unconscious with a hard punch. ****She kneels down to the missile panel and grabs a series of wires, yanking them out and deactivating the nuclear trigger, if not the bomb.**

**Observing the trapped Jacqual with disgust, Nadia runs off down the tunnel.**

**The timer reaches the last 60 seconds.**

**The burning remains of the fighter plane sit in what once was the beautiful study, the windows completely smashed, all noise from outside audible. ****Malprade runs in towards the window, approaching his still-working escape lift.**

**Bond follows him in. "****Give it up, Malprade!"**

**Malprade just laughed. "Any second now, Mr Bond, this entire ****mountain will incinerate, a new world ****order will be born and I will ascend ****to godhood."**

**"You can never change the world." Bond declared.**

**"My clones already have." replied Malprade,drunk with power. "At G8 right ****now, they will steer my path of ****evolving the human race onto the new, ****serpentine, level."**

**"Did no one tell you?..." Bond began, ready to deliver his coup de grace. "Your clones ****suffered a little evolution of their ****own, when I blew up that aircraft ****carrier."**

**Hearing this, Malprade loses his confidentattitude. "****You're bluffing." he said, trying to convince himself more than anyone else.**

**007 justgrins at him, Malprade turning to absolute rage as he realises he's not lying. "NOOOO!..."**

**Malprade enters his lift which descends just as the foundations shake with a rumbling coming from under the mountain. ****Bond dashes to the window, observing the silo exploding without nuclear yield as Nadia and the world leaders take off in the helicopters.**

**They lock eyes from a distance. "****James!..." Nadia says, worried, seeing him above.**

**The explosions begin spreading as Bond sees Malprade ski out of a hatch below, heading off at speed down the mountainside. ****Looking around,007 suddenly sees a piece of equipment in an adjoining room, which he knows he must use.**

**The helicopters hover as the Palace explodes massively all around, heading upwards enough to avoid the increasing blasts. ****Nadia watches worriedly as the Palace explodes, then seeing007 fly through a window on a jet ski, flying over the helicopters.**

**The jet ski lands as the final explosion blows the Palace to bits, Bond looking back as the snow on the mountaintop rocks. ****The helicopter gunships fly away into the distance with Nadia hanging off the edge, seeing an avalanche of snow fall from the explosion effect.**

**The avalanche rolls down the mountain in pursuit of Bond, himself in pursuit of Malprade, now skiing down the mountain expertly. ****He turns and sees Bond coming after him on the jet ski, grabbing a machine gun around his neck.**

**The bullets fired from Malprade hit the jet ski and cause007 to swerve through the snow to avoid them, he carrying on regardless. ****Malprade's aim is off so he throws away a ski stick to concentrate better in firing, using his snakeskin cane to guide him.**

**Relentless,Bond keeps on racing down the mountain, closing in on his nemesis,who's blood is chilled by theicecold, only increasing his rage.**

**The avalanche tundra rolls on down getting closer, Nadia watching concerned in a helicopter above keeping track of the chase. ****She gasps as she sees a massive crevice in the mountain below approaching the chasers, neither seemingly having any idea.**

**"James!. Look out!..." she cried, knowing he wouldn't be able to hear.**

**As the drop approaches, Malprade clearly knows it's coming and so throws away his machine gun into the snow by him. ****Bond sees him do this before he sees Malprade leap as he flies over the huge crevice, landing awkwardly on the other side.**

**The avalanche is set to swallow007 up as he reaches the drop and leaps off the jet ski as it flies off the edge, down the crevice. ****Leaping through the air, Bond just avoids the snowy tundra that crashes into the crevice after the fallen jet ski. He****lands on the opposite side painfully as the tundra rolls like a waterfall behind, casting blizzard rain of snow as it does.**

**He sees Malprade limping off towards an abandoned radar tower to the side, throwing his destroyed skis into the snow. ****Bond goes to pursue but the tundra power begins sucking him through towards the hole, he sliding without any grip on the snow.**

**The force sucks Bond down as the helicopter swoops in above him. ****Nadia reaches out and grabs007 by the arm as he is about to be sucked down the hole, he hanging onto her for dear life. "****Not bad timing, huh?..." she quipped with a smile.**

**The helicopter swoops up and Bond is carried out of the hole, smiling at Nadia as he grabs onto the underside of the chopper.007**** points towards the radar station at the pilot, who heads toward it, the secret agent ready for the final showdown.**

**An intelligence radar station, long abandoned from use during the Cold War, now surrounded and covered by a lot of snow. ****Malprade is running up the stairs around the side of the tower, heading for the top, growling with his iced rage.**

**The helicopter swoops in through the tundra blizzard,007 hanging on until he drops onto the roof of the radar tower. ****The gunship flies off over the tower and Bond lands, Malprade appearing behind and drawing the sword from his cane.**

**Bond turns as Malprade, filled with insane rage, slices his sword, cutting into his chest, drawing blood in a cut on his stomach.He**** jumps back asthe megalomaniaccomes at him repeatedly, swinging the sword all around, his composure totally and utterly lost.**

**The helicopter begins coming around for a return pass, Nadia seeing the unfair fight on the roof taking place with worry. ****Bond edges back across the roof, ducking and avoiding the slicing sword, unable to fight back against Malprade in any way.**

**As he reaches the edge, Bond falls to the floor as the sword slices. Malprade towers over him, holding the sword confidently.**

**"The serpent always wins, Bond." he declared**

**Hegoes to plunge the sword at him but the helicopter swoops in,007 shooting a watch piton up at it. ****The sword hits the roof as Bond is swung up by the piton, grabbing the sword from his hand, flying over the megalomaniac.**

**Bond detaches the piton and lands behind Malprade, thrusting the sword into his chest, it bursting out of his back.**

**"Cold enough for you, Malprade?..." he asked, seeing the sword has killed Malprade, who silently ****falls over the edge with it still through him.**

**Bond watches as he hits the snow at the foot of the radar tower. "****Or is it never cold enough?..."**

**The helicopter again swoops down and Nadia appears out of the door. ****Bond turns and sees her. "****I think he got the point." he quipped.**

**Nadia smiles as007 heads over and climbs into the helicopter, which flies away. ****The blizzard of avalanche snow continues falling.**

**An intelligence helicopter flies through the darkness covering the Suisse Alps, the blanket of snow lighting it up beautifully. ****M,Bill Tannerand Moneypenny are inside the helicopter, searching the mountains with a flashlight coming out of the front.**

**"We got word from the US Marine ****Forces." Tanner confirmed."Malprade's base was entirely ****destroyed by his own missile. The n****uclear trigger was ripped out before d****etonation."**

**"And Bond?..." a concerned Moneypenny asked.**

**Tanner nodded. "Seems as though he made it, although ****he hasn't turned up yet."**

**"I'm sure 007's on top of things." M said, the irony of the comment not entirely being lost on the sharp ageing boss.**

**The helicopter flies over a beautiful Alpine chalet hotel in the mountains, heading away.**

**A beautiful wood-panelled bedroom with a burning log fire warming the room with a fantastic view of the exquisite Alps beyond.**

**Clothes lie strewn all across the room, up towards the bed with a big, embroidered duvet under which are two familiar figures.**

**Bond is making love to Nadia in the bed, the two hearing the helicopter pass overhead.**

**"D'you think they're looking for us, ****James?..." asked Nadia, as 007 kissed her neck.**

**Bond nodded, seriously. "Undoubtedly."**

**Nadia too became serious, fearing of the repercussions. "Shouldn't we let them know we're ****here?..."**

**Bond stops kissing her momentarily, considering Nadia's serious comment. In the end, he just smiled. "****Let's stay undercover." he suggested.**

**He returns to kissing her, Bond and Nadia sliding their way under the duvet. **

**Oh, James!..."**

_**THE END.**_

_**JAMES BOND WILL RETURN.**_

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hope all Bond fans out there enjoyed this fan-fic. Like to think you could imagine it as being the next Pierce Brosnan movie never made. Plaudits/criticisms would be appreciated.**


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